Molecular size distribution of Np(V)-humate
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sakamoto, Yoshiaki; Nagao, Seiya; Tanaka, Tadao
1996-10-01
Molecular size distributions of humic acid and Np(V)-humate were studied as a function of pH and an ionic strength by an ultrafiltration method. Small particle (10,000-30,000 daltons) of humic acid increased slightly with increases in solution pH. The ion strength dependence of the molecular size distribution was clearly observed for humic acid. The abundance ratio of humic acid in the range from 10,000 to 30,000 daltons increased with the ionic strength from 0.015 M to 0.105 M, in place of the decreasing of that in range from 30,000 to 100,000 daltons. Most of neptunium(V) in the 200 mg/l of the humic acid solution was fractionated into 10,000-30,000 daltons. The abundance ratio of neptunium(V) in the 10,000-30,000 daltons was not clearly dependent on pH and the ionic strength of the solution, in spite of the changing in the molecular size distribution of humic acid by the ionic strength. These results imply that the molecular size distribution of Np(V)-humate does not simply obey by that of the humic acid. Stability constant of Np(V)-humate was measured as a function of the molecular size of the humic acid. The stability constant of Np(V)-humate in the range from 10,000 to 30,000 daltons was highest value comparing with the constants in the molecular size ranges of 100,000 daltons-0.45μm, 30,000-100,000, 5,000-10,000 daltons and under 5,000 daltons. These results may indicate that the Np(V) complexation with humic acid is dominated by the interaction of neptunyl ion with the humic acid in the specific molecular size range. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Luste, S.; Maekelae, J.; Manninen, P.
2012-06-01
The humic substances (HS) at groundwater from ONKALO, Olkiluoto were studied in order to determine the apparent molecular size distribution and the amount of humic substances. Humic substances were isolated from the water sample using DAX-8 resin and eluted with 0.1 M NaOH. The molecular size distribution was defined using high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) and ultraviolet (UV) and refractive index (RI) detector. In the SEC calibration (polystyrene sulfonate) sodium salts (PSS) were employed. Different eluents (NaNO 3 , Na-acetate and asetonitrile) with phosphate buffer and distinct ionic strengths were studied in order to optimize the determination method. The amount of humic substances was determined using total organic carbon (TOC) measurements. The results were compared with the previous ones in order to find out the variation of different methods (HPSEC) and to follow up the HS quantity (TOC). The method developed during the study is considered to be suitable for the HS molecular size distribution follow up, although the method development is suggested to be continued. (orig.)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Luste, S.; Maekelae, J.; Manninen, P. [Ramboll Finland Oy, Espoo (Finland)
2012-06-15
The humic substances (HS) at groundwater from ONKALO, Olkiluoto were studied in order to determine the apparent molecular size distribution and the amount of humic substances. Humic substances were isolated from the water sample using DAX-8 resin and eluted with 0.1 M NaOH. The molecular size distribution was defined using high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) and ultraviolet (UV) and refractive index (RI) detector. In the SEC calibration (polystyrene sulfonate) sodium salts (PSS) were employed. Different eluents (NaNO{sub 3}, Na-acetate and asetonitrile) with phosphate buffer and distinct ionic strengths were studied in order to optimize the determination method. The amount of humic substances was determined using total organic carbon (TOC) measurements. The results were compared with the previous ones in order to find out the variation of different methods (HPSEC) and to follow up the HS quantity (TOC). The method developed during the study is considered to be suitable for the HS molecular size distribution follow up, although the method development is suggested to be continued. (orig.)
Parallel Molecular Distributed Detection With Brownian Motion.
Rogers, Uri; Koh, Min-Sung
2016-12-01
This paper explores the in vivo distributed detection of an undesired biological agent's (BAs) biomarkers by a group of biological sized nanomachines in an aqueous medium under drift. The term distributed, indicates that the system information relative to the BAs presence is dispersed across the collection of nanomachines, where each nanomachine possesses limited communication, computation, and movement capabilities. Using Brownian motion with drift, a probabilistic detection and optimal data fusion framework, coined molecular distributed detection, will be introduced that combines theory from both molecular communication and distributed detection. Using the optimal data fusion framework as a guide, simulation indicates that a sub-optimal fusion method exists, allowing for a significant reduction in implementation complexity while retaining BA detection accuracy.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Vilhunen, S.; Manninen, P.
2010-11-01
The humic substances at groundwater from Onkalo, Olkiluoto were studied in order to determine the molecular size distribution and the amount of humic substances. Humic substances were isolated from the water sample using DAX-8 resin and eluted with 0.1 M NaOH. The molecular size distribution was defined using high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) and ultraviolet (UV) or reflactive index (RI) detector. Two calibration standard sets (poly(styrene sulfonate) sodium salt (PSS) or polyethylene glycol (PEG) standards) with distinct structures as well as two eluents (0.05 M NaNO3 or 0.01 M Na-acetate) were studied and the results were compared with the previous ones. The calibration standards and eluents were found to have major effect on the measured parameters. The amount of humic substances was determined using total organic carbon (TOC) measurements. (orig.)
Carney, Randy P.; Kim, Jin Young; Qian, Huifeng; Jin, Rongchao; Mehenni, Hakim; Stellacci, Francesco; Bakr, Osman
2011-01-01
Nanoparticles are finding many research and industrial applications, yet their characterization remains a challenge. Their cores are often polydisperse and coated by a stabilizing shell that varies in size and composition. No single technique can characterize both the size distribution and the nature of the shell. Advances in analytical ultracentrifugation allow for the extraction of the sedimentation (s) and diffusion coefficients (D). Here we report an approach to transform the s and D distributions of nanoparticles in solution into precise molecular weight (M), density (?P) and particle diameter (dp) distributions. M for mixtures of discrete nanocrystals is found within 4% of the known quantities. The accuracy and the density information we achieve on nanoparticles are unparalleled. A single experimental run is sufficient for full nanoparticle characterization, without the need for standards or other auxiliary measurements. We believe that our method is of general applicability and we discuss its limitations. 2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
Carney, Randy P.
2011-06-07
Nanoparticles are finding many research and industrial applications, yet their characterization remains a challenge. Their cores are often polydisperse and coated by a stabilizing shell that varies in size and composition. No single technique can characterize both the size distribution and the nature of the shell. Advances in analytical ultracentrifugation allow for the extraction of the sedimentation (s) and diffusion coefficients (D). Here we report an approach to transform the s and D distributions of nanoparticles in solution into precise molecular weight (M), density (?P) and particle diameter (dp) distributions. M for mixtures of discrete nanocrystals is found within 4% of the known quantities. The accuracy and the density information we achieve on nanoparticles are unparalleled. A single experimental run is sufficient for full nanoparticle characterization, without the need for standards or other auxiliary measurements. We believe that our method is of general applicability and we discuss its limitations. 2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
High-yield fabrication and properties of 1.4 nm nanodiamonds with narrow size distribution.
Stehlik, Stepan; Varga, Marian; Ledinsky, Martin; Miliaieva, Daria; Kozak, Halyna; Skakalova, Viera; Mangler, Clemens; Pennycook, Timothy J; Meyer, Jannik C; Kromka, Alexander; Rezek, Bohuslav
2016-12-02
Detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs) with a typical size of 5 nm have attracted broad interest in science and technology. Further size reduction of DNDs would bring these nanoparticles to the molecular-size level and open new prospects for research and applications in various fields, ranging from quantum physics to biomedicine. Here we show a controllable size reduction of the DND mean size down to 1.4 nm without significant particle loss and with additional disintegration of DND core agglutinates by air annealing, leading to a significantly narrowed size distribution (±0.7 nm). This process is scalable to large quantities. Such molecular-sized DNDs keep their diamond structure and characteristic DND features as shown by Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, STEM and EELS. The size of 1 nm is identified as a limit, below which the DNDs become amorphous.
High-yield fabrication and properties of 1.4 nm nanodiamonds with narrow size distribution
Stehlik, Stepan; Varga, Marian; Ledinsky, Martin; Miliaieva, Daria; Kozak, Halyna; Skakalova, Viera; Mangler, Clemens; Pennycook, Timothy J.; Meyer, Jannik C.; Kromka, Alexander; Rezek, Bohuslav
2016-12-01
Detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs) with a typical size of 5 nm have attracted broad interest in science and technology. Further size reduction of DNDs would bring these nanoparticles to the molecular-size level and open new prospects for research and applications in various fields, ranging from quantum physics to biomedicine. Here we show a controllable size reduction of the DND mean size down to 1.4 nm without significant particle loss and with additional disintegration of DND core agglutinates by air annealing, leading to a significantly narrowed size distribution (±0.7 nm). This process is scalable to large quantities. Such molecular-sized DNDs keep their diamond structure and characteristic DND features as shown by Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, STEM and EELS. The size of 1 nm is identified as a limit, below which the DNDs become amorphous.
Sun, Na; Cui, Pengbo; Jin, Ziqi; Wu, Haitao; Wang, Yixing; Lin, Songyi
2017-09-01
This study investigated the contributions of molecular size, charge distribution and specific amino acids to the iron-binding capacity of sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus) ovum hydrolysates (SCOHs), and further explored their iron-binding sites. It was demonstrated that enzyme type and degree of hydrolysis (DH) significantly influenced the iron-binding capacity of the SCOHs. The SCOHs produced by alcalase at a DH of 25.9% possessed the highest iron-binding capacity at 92.1%. As the hydrolysis time increased, the molecular size of the SCOHs decreased, the negative charges increased, and the hydrophilic amino acids were exposed to the surface, facilitating iron binding. Furthermore, the Fourier transform infrared spectra, combined with amino acid composition analysis, revealed that iron bound to the SCOHs primarily through interactions with carboxyl oxygen of Asp, guanidine nitrogen of Arg or nitrogen atoms in imidazole group of His. The formed SCOHs-iron complexes exhibited a fold and crystal structure with spherical particles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Controlling silk fibroin microspheres via molecular weight distribution
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zeng, Dong-Mei; Pan, Jue-Jing; Wang, Qun; Liu, Xin-Fang; Wang, Hui; Zhang, Ke-Qin
2015-01-01
Silk fibroin (SF) microspheres were produced by salting out SF solution via the addition of potassium phosphate buffer solution (K 2 HPO 4 –KH 2 PO 4 ). The morphology, size and polydispersity of SF microspheres were adjusted by changing the molecular weight (MW) distribution and concentration of SF, as well as the ionic strength and pH of the buffer solution. Changing the conditions under which the SF fiber dissolved in the Lithium Boride (LiBr) solution resulted in altering the MW distribution of SF solution. Under optimal salting-out conditions (ionic strength > 0.7 M and pH > 7) and using a smaller and narrower SF MW distribution, SF microspheres with smoother shapes and more uniform sizes were produced. Meanwhile, the size and polydispersity of the microspheres increased when the SF concentration was increased from 0.25 mg/mL to 20 mg/mL. The improved SF microspheres, obtained by altering the distribution of molecular weight, have potential in drug and gene delivery applications. - Highlights: • MW distribution was changed by applying different dissolving methods of SF fiber. • Smaller and narrower MW distribution improves the quality of SF microspheres. • Size and polydispersity of microspheres increase as SF concentration increases. • Improved SF microspheres have potential in drug and gene delivery applications
Controlling silk fibroin microspheres via molecular weight distribution
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Zeng, Dong-Mei; Pan, Jue-Jing; Wang, Qun; Liu, Xin-Fang; Wang, Hui [National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, College for Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 (China); Zhang, Ke-Qin, E-mail: kqzhang@suda.edu.cn [National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, College for Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 (China); Research Center of Cooperative Innovation for Functional Organic/Polymer Material Micro/Nanofabrication, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 (China)
2015-05-01
Silk fibroin (SF) microspheres were produced by salting out SF solution via the addition of potassium phosphate buffer solution (K{sub 2}HPO{sub 4}–KH{sub 2}PO{sub 4}). The morphology, size and polydispersity of SF microspheres were adjusted by changing the molecular weight (MW) distribution and concentration of SF, as well as the ionic strength and pH of the buffer solution. Changing the conditions under which the SF fiber dissolved in the Lithium Boride (LiBr) solution resulted in altering the MW distribution of SF solution. Under optimal salting-out conditions (ionic strength > 0.7 M and pH > 7) and using a smaller and narrower SF MW distribution, SF microspheres with smoother shapes and more uniform sizes were produced. Meanwhile, the size and polydispersity of the microspheres increased when the SF concentration was increased from 0.25 mg/mL to 20 mg/mL. The improved SF microspheres, obtained by altering the distribution of molecular weight, have potential in drug and gene delivery applications. - Highlights: • MW distribution was changed by applying different dissolving methods of SF fiber. • Smaller and narrower MW distribution improves the quality of SF microspheres. • Size and polydispersity of microspheres increase as SF concentration increases. • Improved SF microspheres have potential in drug and gene delivery applications.
Experimental determination of size distributions: analyzing proper sample sizes
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Buffo, A; Alopaeus, V
2016-01-01
The measurement of various particle size distributions is a crucial aspect for many applications in the process industry. Size distribution is often related to the final product quality, as in crystallization or polymerization. In other cases it is related to the correct evaluation of heat and mass transfer, as well as reaction rates, depending on the interfacial area between the different phases or to the assessment of yield stresses of polycrystalline metals/alloys samples. The experimental determination of such distributions often involves laborious sampling procedures and the statistical significance of the outcome is rarely investigated. In this work, we propose a novel rigorous tool, based on inferential statistics, to determine the number of samples needed to obtain reliable measurements of size distribution, according to specific requirements defined a priori. Such methodology can be adopted regardless of the measurement technique used. (paper)
Significant effect of grain size distribution on compaction rates in granular aggregates
Niemeijer, André|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/370832132; Elsworth, Derek; Marone, Chris
2009-01-01
We investigate the role of pressure solution in deformation of upper- to mid-crustal rocks using aggregates of halite as a room temperature analog for fluid-assisted deformation processes in the Earth's crust. Experiments evaluate the effects of initial grain size distribution on macroscopic
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Yue Bin
Full Text Available Tree size distributions have long been of interest to ecologists and foresters because they reflect fundamental demographic processes. Previous studies have assumed that size distributions are often associated with population trends or with the degree of shade tolerance. We tested these associations for 31 tree species in a 20 ha plot in a Dinghushan south subtropical forest in China. These species varied widely in growth form and shade-tolerance. We used 2005 and 2010 census data from that plot. We found that 23 species had reversed J shaped size distributions, and eight species had unimodal size distributions in 2005. On average, modal species had lower recruitment rates than reversed J species, while showing no significant difference in mortality rates, per capita population growth rates or shade-tolerance. We compared the observed size distributions with the equilibrium distributions projected from observed size-dependent growth and mortality. We found that observed distributions generally had the same shape as predicted equilibrium distributions in both unimodal and reversed J species, but there were statistically significant, important quantitative differences between observed and projected equilibrium size distributions in most species, suggesting that these populations are not at equilibrium and that this forest is changing over time. Almost all modal species had U-shaped size-dependent mortality and/or growth functions, with turning points of both mortality and growth at intermediate size classes close to the peak in the size distribution. These results show that modal size distributions do not necessarily indicate either population decline or shade-intolerance. Instead, the modal species in our study were characterized by a life history strategy of relatively strong conservatism in an intermediate size class, leading to very low growth and mortality in that size class, and thus to a peak in the size distribution at intermediate sizes.
The size distribution of dissolved uranium in natural waters
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mann, D.K.; Wong, G.T.F.
1987-01-01
The size distribution of dissolved uranium in natural waters is poorly known. Some fraction of dissolved uranium is known to associate with organic matter which had a wide range of molecular weights. The presence of inorganic colloidal uranium has not been reported. Ultrafiltration has been used to quantify the size distribution of a number of elements, such as dissolved organic carbon, selenium, and some trace metals, in both the organic and/or the inorganic forms. The authors have applied this technique to dissolved uranium and the data are reported here
Pasang, T.; Ranganathaiah, C.
2015-06-01
The technique of imprinting molecules of various sizes in a stable structure of polymer matrix has derived multitudes of applications. Once the template molecule is extracted from the polymer matrix, it leaves behind a cavity which is physically (size and shape) and chemically (functional binding site) compatible to the particular template molecule. Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) is a well known technique to measure cavity sizes precisely in the nanoscale and is not being used in the field of MIPs effectively. This method is capable of measuring nanopores and hence suitable to understand the physical selectivity of the MIPs better. With this idea in mind, we have prepared molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) with methacrylicacid (MAA) as monomer and EGDMA as cross linker in different molar ratio for three different size template molecules, viz. 4-Chlorophenol (4CP)(2.29 Å), 2-Nephthol (2NP) (3.36 Å) and Phenolphthalein (PP) (4.47Å). FTIR and the dye chemical reactions are used to confirm the complete extraction of the template molecules from the polymer matrix. The free volume size and its distribution have been derived from the measured o-Ps lifetime spectra. Based on the free volume distribution analysis, the percentage of functional cavities for the three template molecules are determined. Percentage of functional binding cavities for 4-CP molecules has been found out to be 70.2% and the rest are native cavities. Similarly for 2NP it is 81.5% and nearly 100% for PP. Therefore, PALS method proves to be very precise and accurate for determining the physical selectivity of MIPs.
Peller, L
1977-02-08
The free-energy change of phosphodiester bond formation from nucleoside triphosphates is more favorable than with nucleoside diphosphates as substrates. Base-stacking interactions can make significant contributions to both delta G degrees ' values. Pyrophosphate hydrolysis when it accompanies the former reaction dominates all thermodynamic considerations. Three experimental situations are discussed in which high-molecular-weight polynucleotides are synthesized without a strong driving force for covalent bond formation. For one of these, a kinetic scheme is presented which encompasses an early narrow Poisson distribution of chain lengths with ultimate passage to a disperse equilibrium population of chain sizes. Hydrolytic removal of pyrophosphate expands the time scale for this undesirable process by a factor of 10(9), while it enormously elevates the thermodynamic ceiling for the average degrees of polymerization in the other two examples. The electron micrographically revealed broad size population from an early study of partial replication of a T7 DNA template is found to adhere (fortuitously) to a disperse most probable representation. Some possible origins are examined for the branched structures in this product, as well as in a later investigation of replication of this nucleic acid. The achievement of both very high molecular weights and sharply peaked size distributions in polynucleotides synthesized in vitro will require coupling to inorganic pyrophosphatase action as in vivo.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hopke, P.K.; Strydom, R.; Ramamurthi, M.; Knutson, E.O.; Tu, K.W.; Scofield, P.; Holub, R.F.; Cheng, Y.S.; Su, Y.F.; Winklmayr, W.
1992-01-01
Over the past 5 y, there have been significant improvements in measurement of activity-weighted size distributions of airborne radon decay products. The modification of screen diffusion batteries to incorporate multiple screens of differing mesh number, called graded screen arrays, have permitted improved size resolution below 10 nm such that the size distributions can now be determined down to molecular sized activities (0.5 nm). In order to ascertain the utility and reliability of such systems, several intercomparison tests have been performed in a 2.4 m3 radon chamber in which particles of varying size have been produced by introducing SO2 and H2O along with the radon to the chamber. In April 1988, intercomparison studies were performed between direct measurements of the activity-weighted size distributions as measured by graded screen arrays and an indirect measurement of the distribution obtained by measuring the number size distribution with a differential mobility analyzer and multiplying by the theoretical attachment rate. Good agreement was obtained in these measurements. A second set of intercomparison studies among a number of groups with graded screen array systems was made in April 1989 with the objective of resolving spectral structure below 10 nm. Again, generally good agreement among the various groups was obtained although some differences were noted. It is thus concluded that such systems can be constructed and can be useful in making routine measurements of activity-weighted size distributions with reasonable confidence in the results obtained
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Wünsch, Urban; Murphy, Kathleen R.; Stedmon, Colin
2017-01-01
Molecular size plays an important role in dissolved organic matter (DOM) biogeochemistry, but its relationship with the fluorescent fraction of DOM (FDOM) remains poorly resolved. Here high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) was coupled to fluorescence emission-excitation (EEM...... but not their spectral properties. Thus, in contrast to absorption measurements, bulk fluorescence is unlikely to reliably indicate the average molecular size of DOM. The one-sample approach enables robust and independent cross-site comparisons without large-scale sampling efforts and introduces new analytical...... opportunities for elucidating the origins and biogeochemical properties of FDOM...
THE EFFECTS OF GRAIN SIZE AND TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTIONS ON THE FORMATION OF INTERSTELLAR ICE MANTLES
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Pauly, Tyler; Garrod, Robin T., E-mail: tap74@cornell.edu [Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6801 (United States)
2016-02-01
Computational models of interstellar gas-grain chemistry have historically adopted a single dust-grain size of 0.1 micron, assumed to be representative of the size distribution present in the interstellar medium. Here, we investigate the effects of a broad grain-size distribution on the chemistry of dust-grain surfaces and the subsequent build-up of molecular ices on the grains, using a three-phase gas-grain chemical model of a quiescent dark cloud. We include an explicit treatment of the grain temperatures, governed both by the visual extinction of the cloud and the size of each individual grain-size population. We find that the temperature difference plays a significant role in determining the total bulk ice composition across the grain-size distribution, while the effects of geometrical differences between size populations appear marginal. We also consider collapse from a diffuse to a dark cloud, allowing dust temperatures to fall. Under the initial diffuse conditions, small grains are too warm to promote grain-mantle build-up, with most ices forming on the mid-sized grains. As collapse proceeds, the more abundant, smallest grains cool and become the dominant ice carriers; the large population of small grains means that this ice is distributed across many grains, with perhaps no more than 40 monolayers of ice each (versus several hundred assuming a single grain size). This effect may be important for the subsequent processing and desorption of the ice during the hot-core phase of star formation, exposing a significant proportion of the ice to the gas phase, increasing the importance of ice-surface chemistry and surface–gas interactions.
The Effects of Grain Size and Temperature Distributions on the Formation of Interstellar Ice Mantles
Pauly, Tyler; Garrod, Robin T.
2016-02-01
Computational models of interstellar gas-grain chemistry have historically adopted a single dust-grain size of 0.1 micron, assumed to be representative of the size distribution present in the interstellar medium. Here, we investigate the effects of a broad grain-size distribution on the chemistry of dust-grain surfaces and the subsequent build-up of molecular ices on the grains, using a three-phase gas-grain chemical model of a quiescent dark cloud. We include an explicit treatment of the grain temperatures, governed both by the visual extinction of the cloud and the size of each individual grain-size population. We find that the temperature difference plays a significant role in determining the total bulk ice composition across the grain-size distribution, while the effects of geometrical differences between size populations appear marginal. We also consider collapse from a diffuse to a dark cloud, allowing dust temperatures to fall. Under the initial diffuse conditions, small grains are too warm to promote grain-mantle build-up, with most ices forming on the mid-sized grains. As collapse proceeds, the more abundant, smallest grains cool and become the dominant ice carriers; the large population of small grains means that this ice is distributed across many grains, with perhaps no more than 40 monolayers of ice each (versus several hundred assuming a single grain size). This effect may be important for the subsequent processing and desorption of the ice during the hot-core phase of star formation, exposing a significant proportion of the ice to the gas phase, increasing the importance of ice-surface chemistry and surface-gas interactions.
Weiss, Victor U; Golesne, Monika; Friedbacher, Gernot; Alban, Susanne; Szymanski, Wladyslaw W; Marchetti-Deschmann, Martina; Allmaier, Günter
2018-02-21
Size, size distribution and molecular weight (MW) determination of nanoparticles and that are for example large polymers, are of great interest and pose an analytical challenge. In this context, nano electrospray gas-phase electrophoretic mobility molecular analysis (nES GEMMA) is a valuable tool with growing impact. Separation of single-charged analytes according to their electrophoretic mobility diameter (EMD) starting from single-digit EMDs up to several hundred nm diameters is possible. In case of spherical analytes, the EMD corresponds to the dry nanoparticle size. Additionally, the instrument is capable of number-based, single-particle detection following the recommendation of the European Commission for nanoparticle characterization (2011/696/EU). In case an EMD/MW correlation for a particular compound class (based on availability of well-defined standards) exists, a nanoparticle's MW can be determined from its EMD. In the present study, we focused on nES GEMMA of linear and branched, water-soluble polysaccharides forming nanoparticles and were able to obtain spectra for both analyte classes regarding single-charged species. Based on EMDs for corresponding analytes, an excellent EMD/MW correlation could be obtained in case of the branched natural polymer (dextran). This enables the determination of dextran MWs from nES GEMMA spectra despite high analyte polydispersity and in a size/MW range, where classical mass spectrometry is limited. EMD/MW correlations based on linear (pullulans, oat-ß-glucans) polymers were significantly different, possibly indicating challenges in the exact MW determination of these compounds by, for example, chromatographic and light scattering means. Despite these observations, nES GEMMA of linear, monosaccharide-based polymers enabled the determination of size and size-distribution of such dry bionanoparticles. © 2018 The Authors. Electrophoresis published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
Size distribution measurements and chemical analysis of aerosol components
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Pakkanen, T.A.
1995-12-31
The principal aims of this work were to improve the existing methods for size distribution measurements and to draw conclusions about atmospheric and in-stack aerosol chemistry and physics by utilizing size distributions of various aerosol components measured. A sample dissolution with dilute nitric acid in an ultrasonic bath and subsequent graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric analysis was found to result in low blank values and good recoveries for several elements in atmospheric fine particle size fractions below 2 {mu}m of equivalent aerodynamic particle diameter (EAD). Furthermore, it turned out that a substantial amount of analyses associated with insoluble material could be recovered since suspensions were formed. The size distribution measurements of in-stack combustion aerosols indicated two modal size distributions for most components measured. The existence of the fine particle mode suggests that a substantial fraction of such elements with two modal size distributions may vaporize and nucleate during the combustion process. In southern Norway, size distributions of atmospheric aerosol components usually exhibited one or two fine particle modes and one or two coarse particle modes. Atmospheric relative humidity values higher than 80% resulted in significant increase of the mass median diameters of the droplet mode. Important local and/or regional sources of As, Br, I, K, Mn, Pb, Sb, Si and Zn were found to exist in southern Norway. The existence of these sources was reflected in the corresponding size distributions determined, and was utilized in the development of a source identification method based on size distribution data. On the Finnish south coast, atmospheric coarse particle nitrate was found to be formed mostly through an atmospheric reaction of nitric acid with existing coarse particle sea salt but reactions and/or adsorption of nitric acid with soil derived particles also occurred. Chloride was depleted when acidic species reacted
Body size distribution of the dinosaurs.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Eoin J O'Gorman
Full Text Available The distribution of species body size is critically important for determining resource use within a group or clade. It is widely known that non-avian dinosaurs were the largest creatures to roam the Earth. There is, however, little understanding of how maximum species body size was distributed among the dinosaurs. Do they share a similar distribution to modern day vertebrate groups in spite of their large size, or did they exhibit fundamentally different distributions due to unique evolutionary pressures and adaptations? Here, we address this question by comparing the distribution of maximum species body size for dinosaurs to an extensive set of extant and extinct vertebrate groups. We also examine the body size distribution of dinosaurs by various sub-groups, time periods and formations. We find that dinosaurs exhibit a strong skew towards larger species, in direct contrast to modern day vertebrates. This pattern is not solely an artefact of bias in the fossil record, as demonstrated by contrasting distributions in two major extinct groups and supports the hypothesis that dinosaurs exhibited a fundamentally different life history strategy to other terrestrial vertebrates. A disparity in the size distribution of the herbivorous Ornithischia and Sauropodomorpha and the largely carnivorous Theropoda suggests that this pattern may have been a product of a divergence in evolutionary strategies: herbivorous dinosaurs rapidly evolved large size to escape predation by carnivores and maximise digestive efficiency; carnivores had sufficient resources among juvenile dinosaurs and non-dinosaurian prey to achieve optimal success at smaller body size.
Body size distribution of the dinosaurs.
O'Gorman, Eoin J; Hone, David W E
2012-01-01
The distribution of species body size is critically important for determining resource use within a group or clade. It is widely known that non-avian dinosaurs were the largest creatures to roam the Earth. There is, however, little understanding of how maximum species body size was distributed among the dinosaurs. Do they share a similar distribution to modern day vertebrate groups in spite of their large size, or did they exhibit fundamentally different distributions due to unique evolutionary pressures and adaptations? Here, we address this question by comparing the distribution of maximum species body size for dinosaurs to an extensive set of extant and extinct vertebrate groups. We also examine the body size distribution of dinosaurs by various sub-groups, time periods and formations. We find that dinosaurs exhibit a strong skew towards larger species, in direct contrast to modern day vertebrates. This pattern is not solely an artefact of bias in the fossil record, as demonstrated by contrasting distributions in two major extinct groups and supports the hypothesis that dinosaurs exhibited a fundamentally different life history strategy to other terrestrial vertebrates. A disparity in the size distribution of the herbivorous Ornithischia and Sauropodomorpha and the largely carnivorous Theropoda suggests that this pattern may have been a product of a divergence in evolutionary strategies: herbivorous dinosaurs rapidly evolved large size to escape predation by carnivores and maximise digestive efficiency; carnivores had sufficient resources among juvenile dinosaurs and non-dinosaurian prey to achieve optimal success at smaller body size.
Body Size Distribution of the Dinosaurs
O’Gorman, Eoin J.; Hone, David W. E.
2012-01-01
The distribution of species body size is critically important for determining resource use within a group or clade. It is widely known that non-avian dinosaurs were the largest creatures to roam the Earth. There is, however, little understanding of how maximum species body size was distributed among the dinosaurs. Do they share a similar distribution to modern day vertebrate groups in spite of their large size, or did they exhibit fundamentally different distributions due to unique evolutionary pressures and adaptations? Here, we address this question by comparing the distribution of maximum species body size for dinosaurs to an extensive set of extant and extinct vertebrate groups. We also examine the body size distribution of dinosaurs by various sub-groups, time periods and formations. We find that dinosaurs exhibit a strong skew towards larger species, in direct contrast to modern day vertebrates. This pattern is not solely an artefact of bias in the fossil record, as demonstrated by contrasting distributions in two major extinct groups and supports the hypothesis that dinosaurs exhibited a fundamentally different life history strategy to other terrestrial vertebrates. A disparity in the size distribution of the herbivorous Ornithischia and Sauropodomorpha and the largely carnivorous Theropoda suggests that this pattern may have been a product of a divergence in evolutionary strategies: herbivorous dinosaurs rapidly evolved large size to escape predation by carnivores and maximise digestive efficiency; carnivores had sufficient resources among juvenile dinosaurs and non-dinosaurian prey to achieve optimal success at smaller body size. PMID:23284818
Du, Yong; Qiu, Wen-Ze; Lv, Yan; Wu, Jian; Xu, Zhi-Kang
2016-11-02
Nanofiltration membranes (NFMs) are widely used in saline water desalination, wastewater treatment, and chemical product purification. However, conventional NFMs suffer from broad pore size distribution, which limits their applications for fine separation, especially in complete separation of molecules with slight differences in molecular size. Herein, defect-free composite NFMs with narrow pore size distribution are fabricated using a contra-diffusion method, with dopamine/polyethylenimine solution on the skin side and ammonium persulfate solution on the other side of the ultrafiltration substrate. Persulfate ions can diffuse through the ultrafiltration substrate into the other side and in situ trigger dopamine to form a codeposited coating with polyethylenimine. The codeposition is hindered on those sites completely covered by the polydopamine/polyethylenimine coating, although it is promoted at the defects or highly permeable regions because it is induced by the diffused persulfate ions. Such a "self-completion" process results in NFMs with highly uniform structures and narrow pore size distribution, as determined by their rejection of neutral solutes. These near electrically neutral NFMs show a high rejection of divalent ions with a low rejection of monovalent ions (MgCl 2 rejection = 96%, NaCl rejection = 23%), majorly based on a steric hindrance effect. The as-prepared NFMs can be applied in molecular separation such as isolating cellulose hydrogenation products.
Body Size Distribution of the Dinosaurs
O?Gorman, Eoin J.; Hone, David W. E.
2012-01-01
The distribution of species body size is critically important for determining resource use within a group or clade. It is widely known that non-avian dinosaurs were the largest creatures to roam the Earth. There is, however, little understanding of how maximum species body size was distributed among the dinosaurs. Do they share a similar distribution to modern day vertebrate groups in spite of their large size, or did they exhibit fundamentally different distributions due to unique evolutiona...
Computational and experimental study of the cluster size distribution in MAPLE
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Leveugle, Elodie; Zhigilei, Leonid V.; Sellinger, Aaron; Fitz-Gerald, James M.
2007-01-01
A combined experimental and computational study is performed to investigate the origin and characteristics of the surface features observed in SEM images of thin polymer films deposited in matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). Analysis of high-resolution SEM images of surface morphologies of the films deposited at different fluences reveals that the mass distributions of the surface features can be well described by a power-law, Y(N) ∝ N -t , with exponent -t ∼ -1.6. Molecular dynamic simulations of the MAPLE process predict a similar size distribution for large clusters observed in the ablation plume. A weak dependence of the cluster size distributions on fluence and target composition suggests that the power-law cluster size distribution may be a general characteristic of the ablation plume generated as a result of an explosive decomposition of a target region overheated above the limit of its thermodynamic stability. Based on the simulation results, we suggest that the ejection of large matrix-polymer clusters, followed by evaporation of the volatile matrix, is responsible for the formation of the surface features observed in the polymer films deposited in MAPLE experiments
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Todd, M.B.
1980-06-01
A new method for visualization of separable subunits of DNA is described. Autoradiography of tritium-labeled DNA from one or a few nuclei, lysed with detergent, moderate salt, and proteases, and gently deposited on a filter, allows determination of subunit molecular weight, size distribution, number per nucleus, and organization. The shape of the size distribution of CHO subunit images is similar to that of CHO mitotic chromosomes, and the numbers of subunits per nucleus supports a model of eight subunits per chromosome
Effects of anion size and concentration on electrolyte invasion into molecular-sized nanopores
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Liu Ling; Chen Xi; Kim, Taewan; Han Aijie; Qiao Yu
2010-01-01
When an electrolyte solution is pressurized into a molecular-sized nanopore, oppositely charged ions are strongly inclined to aggregate, which effectively reduces the ion solubility to zero. Inside the restrictive confinement, a unique quasi-periodic structure is formed where the paired ion couples are periodically separated by a number of water molecules. As the anion size or ion concentration varies, the geometrical characteristics of the confined ion structure would change considerably, leading to a significant variation in the transport pressure. Both experimental and simulation results indicate that, contradictory to the prediction of conventional theory, infiltration pressure decreases as the anions become larger.
Zhang, Han; Dong, Bing-Zhi
2012-09-01
An on-line high pressure size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) with UV and TOC detectors was adapted to examine the distribution of relative molecular mass of natural organic matter (NOM). Through synchronous determination of UV254 and TOC responses in a wide range of relative molecular mass, it was possible to accurately characterize the structure of NOM, especially for some non-aromatic and non-conjugated double bond organics which have low response to UV. It was found that, TOC detector was capable of detecting all kinds of organic matters, including sucrose, sodium alginate and other hydrophilic organic compounds. The sample volume had a positively linear correlation with the TOC response, indicating that the larger volume would produce stronger responses. The effect of ion strength was relatively low, shown by the small decrease of peak area (1.2% ) from none to 0.2 mol x L(-1) NaCl. The pH value of tested samples should be adjusted to neutral or acidic because when the samples were alkaline, the results might be inaccurate. Compared to the sample solvents adopted as ultrapure water, the samples prepared by mobile phase solvents had less interference to salt boundary peak. The on-line HPSEC-UV-TOC can be used accurately to characterize the distribution of relative molecular mass and its four fractions in River Xiang.
Body size distributions signal a regime shift in a lake ...
Communities of organisms, from mammals to microorganisms, have discontinuous distributions of body size. This pattern of size structuring is a conservative trait of community organization and is a product of processes that occur at multiple spatial and temporal scales. In this study, we assessed whether body size patterns serve as an indicator of a threshold between alternative regimes. Over the past 7000 years, the biological communities of Foy Lake (Montana,USA) have undergone a major regime shift owing to climate change. We used a palaeoecological record of diatom communities to estimate diatom sizes, and then analysed the discontinuous distribution of organism sizes over time. We used Bayesian classification and regression tree models to determine that all time intervals exhibited aggregations of sizes separated by gaps in the distribution and found a significant change in diatom body size distributions approximately 150 years before the identified ecosystem regime shift. We suggest that discontinuity analysis is a useful addition to the suite of tools for the detection of early warning signals of regime shifts. Communities of organisms from mammals to microorganisms have discontinuous distributions of body size. This pattern of size structuring is a conservative trait of community organization and is a product of processes that occur at discrete spatial and temporal scales within ecosystems. Here, a paleoecological record of diatom community change is use
Size distributions of member asteroids in seven Hirayama families
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mikami, Takao; Ishida, Keiichi.
1990-01-01
The size distributions of asteroids in the seven Hirayama families are studied for newly assigned member asteroids in the diameter range of about 10 to 100 km. The size distributions for the different families are expressed by the power-law functions with distinctly different power-law indices. The power-law indices for families with small mean orbital inclinations are about 2.5 to 3.0. On the other hand, the power-law indices for families with large mean orbital inclinations are significantly smaller than 2.5. This indicates that the smaller asteroids were removed preferentially from these families after their formation. It is thought that the smaller asteroids left behind the families were dispersed into the main belt. It is consistent with the fact that the power-law index for the size distribution of asteroids with diameters smaller than 25 km in the main belt is larger than the power-law indices for the size distributions of asteroids in the families. This segregation due to the asteroid size can be caused by a drag force caused by the ambient matter deposited on the invariable place of the solar system during the early evolutionary stage. (author)
Dednam, W.; Botha, A. E.
2015-01-01
Solvation of bio-molecules in water is severely affected by the presence of co-solvent within the hydration shell of the solute structure. Furthermore, since solute molecules can range from small molecules, such as methane, to very large protein structures, it is imperative to understand the detailed structure-function relationship on the microscopic level. For example, it is useful know the conformational transitions that occur in protein structures. Although such an understanding can be obtained through large-scale molecular dynamic simulations, it is often the case that such simulations would require excessively large simulation times. In this context, Kirkwood-Buff theory, which connects the microscopic pair-wise molecular distributions to global thermodynamic properties, together with the recently developed technique, called finite size scaling, may provide a better method to reduce system sizes, and hence also the computational times. In this paper, we present molecular dynamics trial simulations of biologically relevant low-concentration solvents, solvated by aqueous co-solvent solutions. In particular we compare two different methods of calculating the relevant Kirkwood-Buff integrals. The first (traditional) method computes running integrals over the radial distribution functions, which must be obtained from large system-size NVT or NpT simulations. The second, newer method, employs finite size scaling to obtain the Kirkwood-Buff integrals directly by counting the particle number fluctuations in small, open sub-volumes embedded within a larger reservoir that can be well approximated by a much smaller simulation cell. In agreement with previous studies, which made a similar comparison for aqueous co-solvent solutions, without the additional solvent, we conclude that the finite size scaling method is also applicable to the present case, since it can produce computationally more efficient results which are equivalent to the more costly radial distribution
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dednam, W; Botha, A E
2015-01-01
Solvation of bio-molecules in water is severely affected by the presence of co-solvent within the hydration shell of the solute structure. Furthermore, since solute molecules can range from small molecules, such as methane, to very large protein structures, it is imperative to understand the detailed structure-function relationship on the microscopic level. For example, it is useful know the conformational transitions that occur in protein structures. Although such an understanding can be obtained through large-scale molecular dynamic simulations, it is often the case that such simulations would require excessively large simulation times. In this context, Kirkwood-Buff theory, which connects the microscopic pair-wise molecular distributions to global thermodynamic properties, together with the recently developed technique, called finite size scaling, may provide a better method to reduce system sizes, and hence also the computational times. In this paper, we present molecular dynamics trial simulations of biologically relevant low-concentration solvents, solvated by aqueous co-solvent solutions. In particular we compare two different methods of calculating the relevant Kirkwood-Buff integrals. The first (traditional) method computes running integrals over the radial distribution functions, which must be obtained from large system-size NVT or NpT simulations. The second, newer method, employs finite size scaling to obtain the Kirkwood-Buff integrals directly by counting the particle number fluctuations in small, open sub-volumes embedded within a larger reservoir that can be well approximated by a much smaller simulation cell. In agreement with previous studies, which made a similar comparison for aqueous co-solvent solutions, without the additional solvent, we conclude that the finite size scaling method is also applicable to the present case, since it can produce computationally more efficient results which are equivalent to the more costly radial distribution
Empirical evidence for multi-scaled controls on wildfire size distributions in California
Povak, N.; Hessburg, P. F., Sr.; Salter, R. B.
2014-12-01
Ecological theory asserts that regional wildfire size distributions are examples of self-organized critical (SOC) systems. Controls on SOC event-size distributions by virtue are purely endogenous to the system and include the (1) frequency and pattern of ignitions, (2) distribution and size of prior fires, and (3) lagged successional patterns after fires. However, recent work has shown that the largest wildfires often result from extreme climatic events, and that patterns of vegetation and topography may help constrain local fire spread, calling into question the SOC model's simplicity. Using an atlas of >12,000 California wildfires (1950-2012) and maximum likelihood estimation (MLE), we fit four different power-law models and broken-stick regressions to fire-size distributions across 16 Bailey's ecoregions. Comparisons among empirical fire size distributions across ecoregions indicated that most ecoregion's fire-size distributions were significantly different, suggesting that broad-scale top-down controls differed among ecoregions. One-parameter power-law models consistently fit a middle range of fire sizes (~100 to 10000 ha) across most ecoregions, but did not fit to larger and smaller fire sizes. We fit the same four power-law models to patch size distributions of aspect, slope, and curvature topographies and found that the power-law models fit to a similar middle range of topography patch sizes. These results suggested that empirical evidence may exist for topographic controls on fire sizes. To test this, we used neutral landscape modeling techniques to determine if observed fire edges corresponded with aspect breaks more often than expected by random. We found significant differences between the empirical and neutral models for some ecoregions, particularly within the middle range of fire sizes. Our results, combined with other recent work, suggest that controls on ecoregional fire size distributions are multi-scaled and likely are not purely SOC. California
INITIAL PLANETESIMAL SIZES AND THE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF SMALL KUIPER BELT OBJECTS
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Schlichting, Hilke E.; Fuentes, Cesar I.; Trilling, David E.
2013-01-01
The Kuiper Belt is a remnant from the early solar system and its size distribution contains many important constraints that can be used to test models of planet formation and collisional evolution. We show, by comparing observations with theoretical models, that the observed Kuiper Belt size distribution is well matched by coagulation models, which start with an initial planetesimal population with radii of about 1 km, and subsequent collisional evolution. We find that the observed size distribution above R ∼ 30 km is primordial, i.e., it has not been modified by collisional evolution over the age of the solar system, and that the size distribution below R ∼ 30 km has been modified by collisions and that its slope is well matched by collisional evolution models that use published strength laws. We investigate in detail the resulting size distribution of bodies ranging from 0.01 km to 30 km and find that its slope changes several times as a function of radius before approaching the expected value for an equilibrium collisional cascade of material strength dominated bodies for R ∼< 0.1 km. Compared to a single power-law size distribution that would span the whole range from 0.01 km to 30 km, we find in general a strong deficit of bodies around R ∼ 10 km and a strong excess of bodies around 2 km in radius. This deficit and excess of bodies are caused by the planetesimal size distribution left over from the runaway growth phase, which left most of the initial mass in small planetesimals while only a small fraction of the total mass is converted into large protoplanets. This excess mass in small planetesimals leaves a permanent signature in the size distribution of small bodies that is not erased after 4.5 Gyr of collisional evolution. Observations of the small Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) size distribution can therefore test if large KBOs grew as a result of runaway growth and constrained the initial planetesimal sizes. We find that results from recent KBO
Use of commercial vessels in survey augmentation: the size-frequency distribution
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Eric N. Powell
2006-09-01
Full Text Available The trend towards use of commercial vessels to enhance survey data requires assessment of the advantages and limitations of various options for their use. One application is to augment information on size-frequency distributions obtained in multispecies trawl surveys where stratum boundaries and sampling density are not optimal for all species. Analysis focused on ten recreationally and commercially important species: bluefish, butterfish, Loligo squid, weakfish, summer flounder, winter flounder, silver hake (whiting, black sea bass, striped bass, and scup (porgy. The commercial vessel took 59 tows in the sampled domain south of Long Island, New York and the survey vessel 18. Black sea bass, Loligo squid, and summer flounder demonstrated an onshore-offshore gradient such that smaller fish were caught disproportionately inshore and larger fish offshore. Butterfish, silver hake, and weakfish were characterized by a southwest-northeast gradient such that larger fish were caught disproportionately northeast of the southwestern-most sector. All sizes of scup, striped bass, and bluefish were caught predominately inshore. Winter flounder were caught predominately offshore. The commercial vessel was characterized by an increased frequency of large catches for most species. Consequently, patchiness was assayed to be higher by the commercial vessel in nearly all cases. The size-frequency distribution obtained by the survey vessel for six of the ten species, bluefish, butterfish, Loligo squid, summer flounder, weakfish, and silver hake, could not be obtained by chance from the size-frequency distribution obtained by the commercial vessel. The difference in sample density did not significantly influence the size-frequency distribution. Of the six species characterized by significant differences in size-frequency distribution between boats, all but one was patchy at the population level and all had one or more size classes so characterized. Although the
The mean-size dependence of the exchange narrowing in molecular J-aggregates
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chen Yulu; Zhao Jijun
2011-01-01
The effect of segment-size fluctuations on exchange narrowing in a molecular J-aggregate of site-energy disordered distributions is studied using a one-dimensional Frenkel-exciton model. It is found that the segment-size disorder leads to the width of the absorption spectra deviating from the scaling law, σ 4/3 of the site-energy disordered standard deviation σ, being suitable for the system only with the site-energy disorder. In larger σ, the segment-size disorder has little influence on the linear absorption spectra. With increasing segment mean-length, the absorption line width monotonically increases, and then approaches a saturated value. By comparing a system of larger mean-length segment with a smaller one, both with the same segment-size disorder, it is found that the absorption line width of the former is broadened, and the exchange narrowing effect is reduced. The present result shows that the correlation effect can be partially maintained for the system with larger mean-length segment. -- Research Highlights: → Segment fluctuations affect the exchange narrowing of molecular J-aggregates. → The width of the absorption spectra is found to deviate from the scaling law. → Increase in segment size causes increase in the width and then saturates. → Exchange narrowing is reduced for larger mean-size segment. → Correlation can be kept partly in the larger size segment.
Effect of linear alcohol molecular size on the self-assembly of fullerene whiskers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Amer, Maher S.; Todd, T. Kyle; Busbee, John D.
2011-01-01
Highlights: → The longer the alcohol molecule, the shorter the length of the assembled whisker. → Interaction between alcohol and fullerene solvent is the key factor. → The stronger the alcohol/solvent interaction, the longer the whisker. - Abstract: The recent development of self-assembled fullerene whiskers and wires has created an enormous potential and resolved a serious challenge for utilizing such unique class of carbon material in advanced nano-scale, molecular-based electronic, optical, and thermal devices. In this paper we investigate, the self-assembly of C 60 molecules into one-dimensional whiskers using a series of linear alcohols H(CH 2 ) n OH, with n changing from 1 (methanol) to 3 (isopropyl alcohol), to elucidate the effect of alcohol molecular size on the size distribution of the self-assemble fullerene whiskers. Our results show that the length of the produced fullerene whiskers is affected by the molecular size of the alcohol used in the process. The crucial role played by solvent/alcohol interaction in the assembly process is discussed. In addition, Raman spectroscopy measurements support the notion that the self-assembled whiskers are primarily held by depletion forces and no evidence of fullerene polymerization was observed.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Michelle McELVAINE
2003-02-01
Full Text Available Dissolved organic carbon (DOC was collected in six rivers that transect the coastal plain of Georgia in July 1999 and February 2000. DOC concentrations ranged from 4.9 to 40.7 g m-3 and from 7.1 to 40.5 g m-3, respectively. The absorption coefficient at 440 nm was highly correlated with DOC concentration, suggesting that the optical parameter may be utilized for rapid estimation of DOC in these waters. The isolated DOC was separated into fractions of operationally defined molecular size, using an ultrafiltration technique that yielded three fractions: 50 ("large" kilodalton. The smallest fraction was the most abundant (>50% in 4 rivers in July and in all rivers in February, and considerably more abundant than in previous years. The wavelength-dependent absorption of the total DOC and its fractions showed approximately uniform shape of a curve declining exponentially with the increase of wavelength. The average slope of logarithmically transformed curves was 0.0151 and 0.0159 nm-1, for the material collected in July and February, respectively and showed a dependence on DOC molecular size. In unfractionated DOC samples, the mass-specific light absorption determined at 440 nm was on average 0.33 m2 g-1 in July, and 0.26 m2 g-1 in February. The mass-specific absorption coefficient in all fractions ranged between 0.085 and 1.347 m2 g-1 in July and between 0.085 and 1.877 m2 g-1 in February, and was positively correlated with the molecular size of the measured samples. The results of the reported study clearly suggest that the specific absorption coefficient of the yellow substance is an outcome of the relative contribution of its different size fractions.
Size distribution of absorbing and fluorescing DOM in Beaufort Sea, Canada Basin
Gao, Zhiyuan; Guéguen, Céline
2017-03-01
The molecular weight (MW) of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is considered as an important factor affecting the bioavailability of organic matter and associated chemical species. Colored DOM (CDOM) MW distribution was determined, for the first time, in the Beaufort Sea (Canada Basin) by asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled with online diode array ultra violet-visible photometer and offline fluorescence detectors. The apparent MW ranged from 1.07 to 1.45 kDa, congruent with previous studies using high performance size exclusion chromatography and tangential flow filtration. Interestingly, a minimum in MW was associated with the Pacific Summer Waters (PSW), while higher MW was associated with the Pacific Winter Waters (PWW). The Arctic Intermediate Waters (AIW) did not show any significant change in MW and fluorescence intensities distribution between stations, suggesting homogeneous DOM composition in deep waters. Three fluorescence components including two humic-like components and one protein-like component were PARAFAC-validated. With the increase of MW, protein-like fluorescence component became more dominant while the majority remained as marine/microbially derived humic-like components. Overall, it is concluded that water mass origin influenced DOM MW distribution in the Arctic Ocean.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Cai Qiuyin
2011-07-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Molecular classification of breast cancer is an important prognostic factor. The distribution of molecular subtypes of breast cancer and their prognostic value has not been well documented in Asians. Methods A total of 2,791 breast cancer patients recruited for a population-based cohort study were evaluated for molecular subtypes of breast cancer by immunohistochemical assays. Data on clinicopathological characteristics were confirmed by centralized pathology review. The average follow-up of the patients was 53.4 months. Overall and disease-free survival by molecular subtypes of breast cancer were evaluated. Results The prevalence of the luminal A, luminal B, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2, and triple-negative subtypes were 48.6%, 16.7%, 13.7%, and 12.9%, respectively. The luminal A subtype was more likely to be diagnosed in older women (P = 0.03 and had a stronger correlation with favorable clinicopathological factors (smaller tumor size, lower histologic grade, and earlier TNM stage than the triple-negative or HER2 subtypes. Women with triple-negative breast cancer had a higher frequency of family history of breast cancer than women with other subtypes (P = 0.048. The 5-year overall/disease-free survival percentages for the luminal A, luminal B, HER2, and triple-negative subtypes were 92.9%/88.6%, 88.6%/85.1%, 83.2%/79.1%, and 80.7%/76.0%, respectively. A similar pattern was observed in multivariate analyses. Immunotherapy was associated with improved overall and disease-free survival for luminal A breast cancer, but reduced disease-free survival (HR = 2.21, 95% CI, 1.09-4.48 for the HER2 subtype of breast cancer. Conclusions The triple-negative and HER2 subtypes were associated with poorer outcomes compared with the luminal A subtype among these Chinese women. The HER2 subtype was more prevalent in this Chinese population compared with Western populations, suggesting the importance of standardized HER2
The Italian primary school-size distribution and the city-size: a complex nexus
Belmonte, Alessandro; di Clemente, Riccardo; Buldyrev, Sergey V.
2014-06-01
We characterize the statistical law according to which Italian primary school-size distributes. We find that the school-size can be approximated by a log-normal distribution, with a fat lower tail that collects a large number of very small schools. The upper tail of the school-size distribution decreases exponentially and the growth rates are distributed with a Laplace PDF. These distributions are similar to those observed for firms and are consistent with a Bose-Einstein preferential attachment process. The body of the distribution features a bimodal shape suggesting some source of heterogeneity in the school organization that we uncover by an in-depth analysis of the relation between schools-size and city-size. We propose a novel cluster methodology and a new spatial interaction approach among schools which outline the variety of policies implemented in Italy. Different regional policies are also discussed shedding lights on the relation between policy and geographical features.
Change of particle size distribution during Brownian coagulation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lee, K.W.
1984-01-01
Change in particle size distribution due to Brownian coagulation in the continuum regime has been stuied analytically. A simple analytic solution for the size distribution of an initially lognormal distribution is obtained based on the assumption that the size distribution during the coagulation process attains or can, at least, be represented by a time dependent lognormal function. The results are found to be in a form that corrects Smoluchowski's solution for both polydispersity and size-dependent kernel. It is further shown that regardless of whether the initial distribution is narrow or broad, the spread of the distribution is characterized by approaching a fixed value of the geometric standard deviation. This result has been compared with the self-preserving distribution obtained by similarity theory. (Author)
The size distributions of all Indian cities
Luckstead, Jeff; Devadoss, Stephen; Danforth, Diana
2017-05-01
We apply five distributions-lognormal, double-Pareto lognormal, lognormal-upper tail Pareto, Pareto tails-lognormal, and Pareto tails-lognormal with differentiability restrictions-to estimate the size distribution of all Indian cities. Since India contains numerous small cities, it is important to explicitly model the lower-tail behavior for studying the distribution of all Indian cities. Our results rigorously confirm, using both graphical and formal statistical tests, that among these five distributions, Pareto tails-lognormal is a better suited parametrization of the Indian city size data, verifying that the Indian city size distribution exhibits a strong reverse Pareto in the lower tail, lognormal in the mid-range body, and Pareto in the upper tail.
Marrufo-Hernández, Norma Alejandra; Hernández-Guerrero, Maribel; Nápoles-Duarte, José Manuel; Palomares-Báez, Juan Pedro; Chávez-Rojo, Marco Antonio
2018-03-01
We present a computational model that describes the diffusion of a hard spheres colloidal fluid through a membrane. The membrane matrix is modeled as a series of flat parallel planes with circular pores of different sizes and random spatial distribution. This model was employed to determine how the size distribution of the colloidal filtrate depends on the size distributions of both, the particles in the feed and the pores of the membrane, as well as to describe the filtration kinetics. A Brownian dynamics simulation study considering normal distributions was developed in order to determine empirical correlations between the parameters that characterize these distributions. The model can also be extended to other distributions such as log-normal. This study could, therefore, facilitate the selection of membranes for industrial or scientific filtration processes once the size distribution of the feed is known and the expected characteristics in the filtrate have been defined.
Recurrent frequency-size distribution of characteristic events
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
S. G. Abaimov
2009-04-01
Full Text Available Statistical frequency-size (frequency-magnitude properties of earthquake occurrence play an important role in seismic hazard assessments. The behavior of earthquakes is represented by two different statistics: interoccurrent behavior in a region and recurrent behavior at a given point on a fault (or at a given fault. The interoccurrent frequency-size behavior has been investigated by many authors and generally obeys the power-law Gutenberg-Richter distribution to a good approximation. It is expected that the recurrent frequency-size behavior should obey different statistics. However, this problem has received little attention because historic earthquake sequences do not contain enough events to reconstruct the necessary statistics. To overcome this lack of data, this paper investigates the recurrent frequency-size behavior for several problems. First, the sequences of creep events on a creeping section of the San Andreas fault are investigated. The applicability of the Brownian passage-time, lognormal, and Weibull distributions to the recurrent frequency-size statistics of slip events is tested and the Weibull distribution is found to be the best-fit distribution. To verify this result the behaviors of numerical slider-block and sand-pile models are investigated and the Weibull distribution is confirmed as the applicable distribution for these models as well. Exponents β of the best-fit Weibull distributions for the observed creep event sequences and for the slider-block model are found to have similar values ranging from 1.6 to 2.2 with the corresponding aperiodicities CV of the applied distribution ranging from 0.47 to 0.64. We also note similarities between recurrent time-interval statistics and recurrent frequency-size statistics.
On the Size Distribution of Sand
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Sørensen, Michael
2016-01-01
A model is presented of the development of the size distribution of sand while it is transported from a source to a deposit. The model provides a possible explanation of the log-hyperbolic shape that is frequently found in unimodal grain size distributions in natural sand deposits, as pointed out......-distribution, by taking into account that individual grains do not have the same travel time from the source to the deposit. The travel time is assumed to be random so that the wear on the individual grains vary randomly. The model provides an interpretation of the parameters of the NIG-distribution, and relates the mean...
Effect of Particle Size Distribution on Slurry Rheology: Nuclear Waste Simulant Slurries
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chun, Jaehun; Oh, Takkeun; Luna, Maria L.; Schweiger, Michael J.
2011-01-01
Controlling the rheological properties of slurries has been of great interest in various industries such as cosmetics, ceramic processing, and nuclear waste treatment. Many physicochemical parameters, such as particle size, pH, ionic strength, and mass/volume fraction of particles, can influence the rheological properties of slurry. Among such parameters, the particle size distribution of slurry would be especially important for nuclear waste treatment because most nuclear waste slurries show a broad particle size distribution. We studied the rheological properties of several different low activity waste nuclear simulant slurries having different particle size distributions under high salt and high pH conditions. Using rheological and particle size analysis, it was found that the percentage of colloid-sized particles in slurry appears to be a key factor for rheological characteristics and the efficiency of rheological modifiers. This behavior was shown to be coupled with an existing electrostatic interaction between particles under a low salt concentration. Our study suggests that one may need to implement the particle size distribution as a critical factor to understand and control rheological properties in nuclear waste treatment plants, such as the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford and Savannah River sites, because the particle size distributions significantly vary over different types of nuclear waste slurries.
EFFECTS OF EFFECTS OF PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
eobe
The parameters examined were: moisture content, particle size distribution, total isture content, particle size distribution, total hydrocarbon content, soil pH, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, total heterotrophic bacteria and fungi count. The analysis of the soil characteristics throughout the remediation period showed ...
The exponential age distribution and the Pareto firm size distribution
Coad, Alex
2008-01-01
Recent work drawing on data for large and small firms has shown a Pareto distribution of firm size. We mix a Gibrat-type growth process among incumbents with an exponential distribution of firm’s age, to obtain the empirical Pareto distribution.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sun, Juan; Pantoya, Michelle L.; Simon, Sindee L.
2006-01-01
The oxidation reaction of aluminum nanoparticles with oxygen gas and the thermal behavior of a metastable intermolecular composite (MIC) composed of the aluminum nanoparticles and molybdenum trioxide are studied with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as a function of the size and size distribution of the aluminum particles. Both broad and narrow size distributions have been investigated with aluminum particle sizes ranging from 30 to 160 nm; comparisons are also made to the behavior of micrometer-size particles. Several parameters have been used to characterize the reactivity of aluminum nanoparticles, including the fraction of aluminum that reacts prior to aluminum melting, heat of reaction, onset and peak temperatures, and maximum reaction rates. The results indicate that the reactivity of aluminum nanoparticles is significantly higher than that of the micrometer-size samples, but depending on the measure of reactivity, it may also depend strongly on the size distribution. The isoconversional method was used to calculate the apparent activation energy, and the values obtained for both the Al/O 2 and Al/MoO 3 reaction are in the range of 200-300 kJ/mol
Building predictive models of soil particle-size distribution
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Alessandro Samuel-Rosa
2013-04-01
Full Text Available Is it possible to build predictive models (PMs of soil particle-size distribution (psd in a region with complex geology and a young and unstable land-surface? The main objective of this study was to answer this question. A set of 339 soil samples from a small slope catchment in Southern Brazil was used to build PMs of psd in the surface soil layer. Multiple linear regression models were constructed using terrain attributes (elevation, slope, catchment area, convergence index, and topographic wetness index. The PMs explained more than half of the data variance. This performance is similar to (or even better than that of the conventional soil mapping approach. For some size fractions, the PM performance can reach 70 %. Largest uncertainties were observed in geologically more complex areas. Therefore, significant improvements in the predictions can only be achieved if accurate geological data is made available. Meanwhile, PMs built on terrain attributes are efficient in predicting the particle-size distribution (psd of soils in regions of complex geology.
Comparing particle-size distributions in modern and ancient sand-bed rivers
Hajek, E. A.; Lynds, R. M.; Huzurbazar, S. V.
2011-12-01
Particle-size distributions yield valuable insight into processes controlling sediment supply, transport, and deposition in sedimentary systems. This is especially true in ancient deposits, where effects of changing boundary conditions and autogenic processes may be detected from deposited sediment. In order to improve interpretations in ancient deposits and constrain uncertainty associated with new methods for paleomorphodynamic reconstructions in ancient fluvial systems, we compare particle-size distributions in three active sand-bed rivers in central Nebraska (USA) to grain-size distributions from ancient sandy fluvial deposits. Within the modern rivers studied, particle-size distributions of active-layer, suspended-load, and slackwater deposits show consistent relationships despite some morphological and sediment-supply differences between the rivers. In particular, there is substantial and consistent overlap between bed-material and suspended-load distributions, and the coarsest material found in slackwater deposits is comparable to the coarse fraction of suspended-sediment samples. Proxy bed-load and slackwater-deposit samples from the Kayenta Formation (Lower Jurassic, Utah/Colorado, USA) show overlap similar to that seen in the modern rivers, suggesting that these deposits may be sampled for paleomorphodynamic reconstructions, including paleoslope estimation. We also compare grain-size distributions of channel, floodplain, and proximal-overbank deposits in the Willwood (Paleocene/Eocene, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, USA), Wasatch (Paleocene/Eocene, Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado, USA), and Ferris (Cretaceous/Paleocene, Hanna Basin, Wyoming, USA) formations. Grain-size characteristics in these deposits reflect how suspended- and bed-load sediment is distributed across the floodplain during channel avulsion events. In order to constrain uncertainty inherent in such estimates, we evaluate uncertainty associated with sample collection, preparation, analytical
Analysis of tecniques for measurement of the size distribution of solid particles
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
F. O. Arouca
2005-03-01
Full Text Available Determination of the size distribution of solid particles is fundamental for analysis of the performance several pieces of equipment used for solid-fluid separation. The main objective of this work is to compare the results obtained with two traditional methods for determination of the size grade distribution of powdery solids: the gamma-ray attenuation technique (GRAT and the LADEQ test tube technique. The effect of draining the suspension in the two techniques used was also analyzed. The GRAT can supply the particle size distribution of solids through the monitoring of solid concentration in experiments on batch settling of diluted suspensions. The results show that use of the peristaltic pump in the GRAT and the LADEQ methods produced a significant difference between the values obtained for the parameters of the particle size model.
Bidzińska, Ewa; Michalec, Marek; Pawcenis, Dominika
2015-12-01
Effect of heating of the potato starch on damages of its structure was investigated by quantitative electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and determination of the molecular weight distribution. The measurements were performed in the temperature range commonly used for starch modifications optimizing properties important for industrial applications. Upon thermal treatment, because of breaking of the polymer chains, diminishing of the average molecular weights occurred, which significantly influences generation of radicals, evidenced by EPR. For the relatively mild conditions, with heating parameters not exceeding temperature 230 °C and time of heating equal to 30 min a moderate changes of both the number of thermally generated radicals and the mean molecular weight of the starch were observed. After more drastic thermal treatment (e.g. 2 h at 230 °C), a rapid increase in the radical amount occurred, which was accompanied by significant reduction of the starch molecular size and crystallinity. Experimentally established threshold values of heating parameters should not be exceeded in order to avoid excessive damages of the starch structure accompanied by the formation of the redundant amount of radicals. This requirement is important for industrial applications, because significant destruction of the starch matrix might annihilate the positive influence of the previously performed intentional starch modification. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of droplet size distributions using univariate and multivariate approaches.
Gaunø, Mette Høg; Larsen, Crilles Casper; Vilhelmsen, Thomas; Møller-Sonnergaard, Jørn; Wittendorff, Jørgen; Rantanen, Jukka
2013-01-01
Pharmaceutically relevant material characteristics are often analyzed based on univariate descriptors instead of utilizing the whole information available in the full distribution. One example is droplet size distribution, which is often described by the median droplet size and the width of the distribution. The current study was aiming to compare univariate and multivariate approach in evaluating droplet size distributions. As a model system, the atomization of a coating solution from a two-fluid nozzle was investigated. The effect of three process parameters (concentration of ethyl cellulose in ethanol, atomizing air pressure, and flow rate of coating solution) on the droplet size and droplet size distribution using a full mixed factorial design was used. The droplet size produced by a two-fluid nozzle was measured by laser diffraction and reported as volume based size distribution. Investigation of loading and score plots from principal component analysis (PCA) revealed additional information on the droplet size distributions and it was possible to identify univariate statistics (volume median droplet size), which were similar, however, originating from varying droplet size distributions. The multivariate data analysis was proven to be an efficient tool for evaluating the full information contained in a distribution.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hankins, D.E.; Homann, S.G.; Westermark, J.
1988-01-01
The track-size distribution on electrochemically etched CR-39 foils can be used to obtain some limited information on the incident neutron spectra. Track-size distributions on CR-39 foils can also be used to determine if the tracks were caused by neutrons or if they are merely background tracks (which have a significantly different track-size distribution). Identifying and discarding the high-background foils reduces the number of foils that must be etched. This also lowers the detection limit of the dosimetry system. We have developed an image analyzer program that can more efficiently determine the track density and track-size distribution, as well as read the laser-cut identification numbers on each foil. This new image analyzer makes the routine application of track-size distributions on CR-39 foils feasible. 2 refs., 3 figs
Evaluation of droplet size distributions using univariate and multivariate approaches
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Gauno, M.H.; Larsen, C.C.; Vilhelmsen, T.
2013-01-01
of the distribution. The current study was aiming to compare univariate and multivariate approach in evaluating droplet size distributions. As a model system, the atomization of a coating solution from a two-fluid nozzle was investigated. The effect of three process parameters (concentration of ethyl cellulose...... in ethanol, atomizing air pressure, and flow rate of coating solution) on the droplet size and droplet size distribution using a full mixed factorial design was used. The droplet size produced by a two-fluid nozzle was measured by laser diffraction and reported as volume based size distribution....... Investigation of loading and score plots from principal component analysis (PCA) revealed additional information on the droplet size distributions and it was possible to identify univariate statistics (volume median droplet size), which were similar, however, originating from varying droplet size distributions...
Retrieval of size distribution for urban aerosols using multispectral optical data
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kocifaj, M; Horvath, H
2005-01-01
We are dealing with retrieval of aerosol size distribution using multispectral extinction data collected in highly industrialized urban region. Especially, a role of the particle morphology is in the focus of this work. As well known, at present, still many retrieval algorithms are based on simple Lorenz-Mie's theory applicable for perfectly spherical and homogeneous particles, because that approach is fast and can handle the whole size distribution of particles. However, the solid-phase aerosols never render simple geometries, and rather than being spherical or spheroidal they are quite irregular. It is shown, that identification of the modal radius a M of both, the size distribution f(a) and the distribution of geometrical cross section s(a) of aerosol particles is not significantly influenced by the particle's morphology in case the aspect ratio is smaller than 2 and the particles are randomly oriented in the atmospheric environment. On the other hand, the amount of medium-sized particles (radius of which is larger than the modal radius) can be underestimated if distribution of non-spherical grains is substituted by system of volume equivalent spheres. Retrieved volume content of fine aerosols (as characterized by PM 2.5 and PM 1.0 ) can be potentially affected by inappropriate assumption on the particle shape
Concentration and size distribution of particles in abstracted groundwater.
van Beek, C G E M; de Zwart, A H; Balemans, M; Kooiman, J W; van Rosmalen, C; Timmer, H; Vandersluys, J; Stuyfzand, P J
2010-02-01
Particle number concentrations have been counted and particle size distributions calculated in groundwater derived by abstraction wells. Both concentration and size distribution are governed by the discharge rate: the higher this rate the higher the concentration and the higher the proportion of larger particles. However, the particle concentration in groundwater derived from abstraction wells, with high groundwater flow velocities, is much lower than in groundwater from monitor wells, with minimal flow velocities. This inconsistency points to exhaustion of the particle supply in the aquifer around wells due to groundwater abstraction for many years. The particle size distribution can be described with the help of a power law or Pareto distribution. Comparing the measured particle size distribution with the Pareto distribution shows that particles with a diameter >7 microm are under-represented. As the particle size distribution is dependent on the flow velocity, so is the value of the "Pareto" slope beta. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Phase size distribution in WC/Co hardmetal
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Roebuck, B.; Bennett, E.G.
1986-01-01
A high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscope was used to perform accurate quantitative metallography on a variety of WC/Co hardmetals. Particular attention was paid to obtaining the mean size and size distribution of the cobalt phase by linear analysis. Cobalt regions are frequently submicron and difficult to resolve adequately by conventional methods. The WC linear intercept distributions, and contiguity were also measured at the same time. The results were used to examine the validity of theoretic derivations of cobalt intercept size
Driess, Matthias; Panda, Chakadola; Menezes, Prashanth Wilfried
2018-05-07
The low-temperature synthesis of inorganic materials and their interfaces at the atomic and molecular level provides numerous opportunities for the design and improvement of inorganic materials in heterogeneous catalysis for sustainable chemical energy conversion or other energy-saving areas. Using suitable molecular precursors for functional inorganic nanomaterial synthesis allows for facile control over uniform particle size distribution, stoichiometry, and leads to desired chemical and physical properties. This minireview outlines some advantages of the molecular precursor approach in light of selected recent developments of molecule-to-nanomaterials synthesis for renewable energy applications, relevant for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and overall water-splitting. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Interpretations of family size distributions: The Datura example
Henych, Tomáš; Holsapple, Keith A.
2018-04-01
Young asteroid families are unique sources of information about fragmentation physics and the structure of their parent bodies, since their physical properties have not changed much since their birth. Families have different properties such as age, size, taxonomy, collision severity and others, and understanding the effect of those properties on our observations of the size-frequency distribution (SFD) of family fragments can give us important insights into the hypervelocity collision processes at scales we cannot achieve in our laboratories. Here we take as an example the very young Datura family, with a small 8-km parent body, and compare its size distribution to other families, with both large and small parent bodies, and created by both catastrophic and cratering formation events. We conclude that most likely explanation for the shallower size distribution compared to larger families is a more pronounced observational bias because of its small size. Its size distribution is perfectly normal when its parent body size is taken into account. We also discuss some other possibilities. In addition, we study another common feature: an offset or "bump" in the distribution occurring for a few of the larger elements. We hypothesize that it can be explained by a newly described regime of cratering, "spall cratering", which controls the majority of impact craters on the surface of small asteroids like Datura.
Particle size distribution instrument. Topical report 13
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Okhuysen, W.; Gassaway, J.D.
1995-04-01
The development of an instrument to measure the concentration of particles in gas is described in this report. An in situ instrument was designed and constructed which sizes individual particles and counts the number of occurrences for several size classes. Although this instrument was designed to detect the size distribution of slag and seed particles generated at an experimental coal-fired magnetohydrodynamic power facility, it can be used as a nonintrusive diagnostic tool for other hostile industrial processes involving the formation and growth of particulates. Two of the techniques developed are extensions of the widely used crossed beam velocimeter, providing simultaneous measurement of the size distribution and velocity of articles.
Changes of firm size distribution: The case of Korea
Kang, Sang Hoon; Jiang, Zhuhua; Cheong, Chongcheul; Yoon, Seong-Min
2011-01-01
In this paper, the distribution and inequality of firm sizes is evaluated for the Korean firms listed on the stock markets. Using the amount of sales, total assets, capital, and the number of employees, respectively, as a proxy for firm sizes, we find that the upper tail of the Korean firm size distribution can be described by power-law distributions rather than lognormal distributions. Then, we estimate the Zipf parameters of the firm sizes and assess the changes in the magnitude of the exponents. The results show that the calculated Zipf exponents over time increased prior to the financial crisis, but decreased after the crisis. This pattern implies that the degree of inequality in Korean firm sizes had severely deepened prior to the crisis, but lessened after the crisis. Overall, the distribution of Korean firm sizes changes over time, and Zipf’s law is not universal but does hold as a special case.
Effect of particle size distribution on sintering of tungsten
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Patterson, B.R.; Griffin, J.A.
1984-01-01
To date, very little is known about the effect of the nature of the particle size distribution on sintering. It is reasonable that there should be an effect of size distribution, and theory and prior experimental work examining the effects of variations in bimodal and continuous distributions have shown marked effects on sintering. Most importantly, even with constant mean particle size, variations in distribution width, or standard deviation, have been shown to produce marked variations in microstructure and sintering rate. In the latter work, in which spherical copper powders were blended to produce lognormal distributions of constant geometric mean particle size by weight frequency, blends with larger values of geometric standard deviation, 1nσ, sintered more rapidly. The goals of the present study were to examine in more detail the effects of variations in the width of lognormal particle size distributions of tungsten powder and determine the effects of 1nσ on the microstructural evolution during sintering
Size-biased distributions in the generalized beta distribution family, with applications to forestry
Mark J. Ducey; Jeffrey H. Gove
2015-01-01
Size-biased distributions arise in many forestry applications, as well as other environmental, econometric, and biomedical sampling problems. We examine the size-biased versions of the generalized beta of the first kind, generalized beta of the second kind and generalized gamma distributions. These distributions include, as special cases, the Dagum (Burr Type III),...
Aerosol Size Distributions In Auckland.
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Coulson, G.; Olivares, G.; Talbot, Nicholas
2016-01-01
Roč. 50, č. 1 (2016), s. 23-28 E-ISSN 1836-5876 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : aerosol size distribution * particle number concentration * roadside Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry
Measurement and analysis of the concentration and size distribution of aerosols in a copper mine
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Li Dehong; Zhuo Weihai; Huang Gang; Su Xu; Sun Quanfu
2008-01-01
Objective: To explore the general characteristics of the concentration and size distribution of aerosols in a mine. Methods: In different areas of a non-uranium mine, the particle number and mass concentration of aerosols were surveyed with a condensation particle counter and a personal aerosol monitor, respectively, and the size distribution of aerosols larger than 1 μm in size was estimated according to the size- selective measurements of mass concentrations. The size distribution of submicron aerosols was evaluated based on the method of screen diffusion battery (SOB), and the measurements were performed in both inside and outside of a control room. Results: The mass concentration of inhaled particles (PM10) was averaged to be 0.42 mg/m 3 in the whole mine, and it varied with different working areas and significantly affected with human activities. In the mine, particles lager than 1 μm in size widely distributed, while the particles less than 5 nm in size were seldom observed. Conclusions: The characteristics of aerosol significantly change with different working areas, human activities and Antilation condition in mine. The dose contribution from inhaled radioactive particles larger than 1 μm in size should be considered in mine. (authors)
Sectional modeling of nanoparticle size and charge distributions in dusty plasmas
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Agarwal, Pulkit; Girshick, Steven L
2012-01-01
Sectional models of the dynamics of aerosol populations are well established in the aerosol literature but have received relatively less attention in numerical models of dusty plasmas, where most modeling studies have assumed the existence of monodisperse dust particles. In the case of plasmas in which nanoparticles nucleate and grow, significant polydispersity can exist in particle size distributions, and stochastic charging can cause particles of given size to have a broad distribution of charge states. Sectional models, while computationally expensive, are well suited to treating such distributions. This paper presents an overview of sectional modeling of nanodusty plasmas, and presents examples of simulation results that reveal important qualitative features of the spatiotemporal evolution of such plasmas, many of which could not be revealed by models that consider only monodisperse dust particles and average particle charge. These features include the emergence of bimodal particle populations consisting of very small neutral particles and larger negatively charged particles, the effects of size and charge distributions on coagulation, spreading and structure of the particle cloud, and the dynamics of dusty plasma afterglows. (paper)
Elemental mass size distribution of the Debrecen urban aerosol
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kertesz, Zs.; Szoboszlai, Z.; Dobos, E.; Borbely-Kiss, I.
2007-01-01
Complete text of publication follows. Size distribution is one of the basic properties of atmospheric aerosol. It is closely related to the origin, chemical composition and age of the aerosol particles, and it influences the optical properties, environmental effects and health impact of aerosol. As part of the ongoing aerosol research in the Group of Ion Beam Applications of the Atomki, elemental mass size distribution of urban aerosol were determined using particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analytical technique. Aerosol sampling campaigns were carried out with 9-stage PIXE International cascade impactors, which separates the aerosol into 10 size fractions in the 0.05-30 ?m range. Five 48-hours long samplings were done in the garden of the Atomki, in April and in October, 2007. Both campaigns included weekend and working day samplings. Basically two different kinds of particles could be identified according to the size distribution. In the size distribution of Al, Si, Ca, Fe, Ba, Ti, Mn and Co one dominant peak can be found around the 3 m aerodynamic diameter size range, as it is shown on Figure 1. These are the elements of predominantly natural origin. Elements like S, Cl, K, Zn, Pb and Br appears with high frequency in the 0.25-0.5 mm size range as presented in Figure 2. These elements are originated mainly from anthropogenic sources. However sometimes in the size distribution of these elements a 2 nd , smaller peak appears at the 2-4 μm size ranges, indicating different sources. Differences were found between the size distribution of the spring and autumn samples. In the case of elements of soil origin the size distribution was shifted towards smaller diameters during October, and a 2 nd peak appeared around 0.5 μm. A possible explanation to this phenomenon can be the different meteorological conditions. No differences were found between the weekend and working days in the size distribution, however the concentration values were smaller during the weekend
Quantification of the evolution of firm size distributions due to mergers and acquisitions
Sornette, Didier
2017-01-01
The distribution of firm sizes is known to be heavy tailed. In order to account for this stylized fact, previous economic models have focused mainly on growth through investments in a company’s own operations (internal growth). Thereby, the impact of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) on the firm size (external growth) is often not taken into consideration, notwithstanding its potential large impact. In this article, we make a first step into accounting for M&A. Specifically, we describe the effect of mergers and acquisitions on the firm size distribution in terms of an integro-differential equation. This equation is subsequently solved both analytically and numerically for various initial conditions, which allows us to account for different observations of previous empirical studies. In particular, it rationalises shortcomings of past work by quantifying that mergers and acquisitions develop a significant influence on the firm size distribution only over time scales much longer than a few decades. This explains why M&A has apparently little impact on the firm size distributions in existing data sets. Our approach is very flexible and can be extended to account for other sources of external growth, thus contributing towards a holistic understanding of the distribution of firm sizes. PMID:28841683
Quantification of the evolution of firm size distributions due to mergers and acquisitions.
Lera, Sandro Claudio; Sornette, Didier
2017-01-01
The distribution of firm sizes is known to be heavy tailed. In order to account for this stylized fact, previous economic models have focused mainly on growth through investments in a company's own operations (internal growth). Thereby, the impact of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) on the firm size (external growth) is often not taken into consideration, notwithstanding its potential large impact. In this article, we make a first step into accounting for M&A. Specifically, we describe the effect of mergers and acquisitions on the firm size distribution in terms of an integro-differential equation. This equation is subsequently solved both analytically and numerically for various initial conditions, which allows us to account for different observations of previous empirical studies. In particular, it rationalises shortcomings of past work by quantifying that mergers and acquisitions develop a significant influence on the firm size distribution only over time scales much longer than a few decades. This explains why M&A has apparently little impact on the firm size distributions in existing data sets. Our approach is very flexible and can be extended to account for other sources of external growth, thus contributing towards a holistic understanding of the distribution of firm sizes.
Quantification of the evolution of firm size distributions due to mergers and acquisitions.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sandro Claudio Lera
Full Text Available The distribution of firm sizes is known to be heavy tailed. In order to account for this stylized fact, previous economic models have focused mainly on growth through investments in a company's own operations (internal growth. Thereby, the impact of mergers and acquisitions (M&A on the firm size (external growth is often not taken into consideration, notwithstanding its potential large impact. In this article, we make a first step into accounting for M&A. Specifically, we describe the effect of mergers and acquisitions on the firm size distribution in terms of an integro-differential equation. This equation is subsequently solved both analytically and numerically for various initial conditions, which allows us to account for different observations of previous empirical studies. In particular, it rationalises shortcomings of past work by quantifying that mergers and acquisitions develop a significant influence on the firm size distribution only over time scales much longer than a few decades. This explains why M&A has apparently little impact on the firm size distributions in existing data sets. Our approach is very flexible and can be extended to account for other sources of external growth, thus contributing towards a holistic understanding of the distribution of firm sizes.
Influence of particle size distributions on magnetorheological fluid performances
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chiriac, H; Stoian, G
2010-01-01
In this paper we investigate the influence that size distributions of the magnetic particles might have on the magnetorheological fluid performances. In our study, several size distributions have been tailored first by sieving a micrometric Fe powder in order to obtain narrow distribution powders and then by recomposing the new size distributions (different from Gaussian). We used spherical Fe particles (mesh -325) commercially available. The powder was sieved by means of a sieve shaker using a series of sieves with the following mesh size: 20, 32, 40, 50, 63, 80 micrometers. All magnetic powders were characterized through Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) measurements, particle size analysis and also Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images were taken. Magnetorheological (MR) fluids based on the resulted magnetic powders were prepared and studied by means of a rheometer with a magnetorheological module. The MR fluids were measured in magnetic field and in zero magnetic field as well. As we noticed in our previous experiments particles size distribution can also influence the MR fluids performances.
Influence of grain size distribution on dynamic shear modulus of sands
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Dyka Ireneusz
2017-11-01
Full Text Available The paper presents the results of laboratory tests, that verify the correlation between the grain-size characteristics of non-cohesive soils and the value of the dynamic shear modulus. The problem is a continuation of the research performed at the Institute of Soil Mechanics and Rock Mechanics in Karlsruhe, by T. Wichtmann and T. Triantafyllidis, who derived the extension of the applicability of the Hardin’s equation describing the explicite dependence between the grain size distribution of sands and the values of dynamic shear modulus. For this purpose, piezo-ceramic bender elements generating elastic waves were used to investigate the mechanical properties of the specimens with artificially generated particle distribution. The obtained results confirmed the hypothesis that grain size distribution of non-cohesive soils has a significant influence on the dynamic shear modulus, but at the same time they have shown that obtaining unambiguous results from bender element tests is a difficult task in practical applications.
p-Curve and Effect Size: Correcting for Publication Bias Using Only Significant Results.
Simonsohn, Uri; Nelson, Leif D; Simmons, Joseph P
2014-11-01
Journals tend to publish only statistically significant evidence, creating a scientific record that markedly overstates the size of effects. We provide a new tool that corrects for this bias without requiring access to nonsignificant results. It capitalizes on the fact that the distribution of significant p values, p-curve, is a function of the true underlying effect. Researchers armed only with sample sizes and test results of the published findings can correct for publication bias. We validate the technique with simulations and by reanalyzing data from the Many-Labs Replication project. We demonstrate that p-curve can arrive at conclusions opposite that of existing tools by reanalyzing the meta-analysis of the "choice overload" literature. © The Author(s) 2014.
XRD characterisation of nanoparticle size and shape distributions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Armstrong, N.; Kalceff, W.; Cline, J.P.; Bonevich, J.
2004-01-01
Full text: The form of XRD lines and the extent of their broadening provide useful structural information about the shape, size distribution, and modal characteristics of the nanoparticles comprising the specimen. Also, the defect content of the nanoparticles can be determined, including the type, dislocation density, and stacking faults/twinning. This information is convoluted together and can be grouped into 'size' and 'defect' broadening contributions. Modern X-ray diffraction analysis techniques have concentrated on quantifying the broadening arising from the size and defect contributions, while accounting for overlapping of profiles, instrumental broadening, background scattering and noise components. We report on a combined Bayesian/Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) technique developed for use in the certification of a NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM) for size-broadened line profiles. The approach used was chosen because of its generality in removing instrumental broadening from the observed line profiles, and its ability to determine not only the average crystallite size, but also the distribution of sizes and the average shape of crystallites. Moverover, this Bayesian/MaxEnt technique is fully quantitative, in that it also determines uncertainties in the crystallite-size distribution and other parameters. Both experimental and numerical simulations of size broadened line-profiles modelled on a range of specimens with spherical and non-spherical morphologies are presented to demonstrate how this information can be retrieved from the line profile data. The sensitivity of the Bayesian/MaxEnt method to determining the size distribution using varying a priori information are emphasised and discussed
Razeto-Barry, Pablo; Díaz, Javier; Vásquez, Rodrigo A
2012-06-01
The general theories of molecular evolution depend on relatively arbitrary assumptions about the relative distribution and rate of advantageous, deleterious, neutral, and nearly neutral mutations. The Fisher geometrical model (FGM) has been used to make distributions of mutations biologically interpretable. We explored an FGM-based molecular model to represent molecular evolutionary processes typically studied by nearly neutral and selection models, but in which distributions and relative rates of mutations with different selection coefficients are a consequence of biologically interpretable parameters, such as the average size of the phenotypic effect of mutations and the number of traits (complexity) of organisms. A variant of the FGM-based model that we called the static regime (SR) represents evolution as a nearly neutral process in which substitution rates are determined by a dynamic substitution process in which the population's phenotype remains around a suboptimum equilibrium fitness produced by a balance between slightly deleterious and slightly advantageous compensatory substitutions. As in previous nearly neutral models, the SR predicts a negative relationship between molecular evolutionary rate and population size; however, SR does not have the unrealistic properties of previous nearly neutral models such as the narrow window of selection strengths in which they work. In addition, the SR suggests that compensatory mutations cannot explain the high rate of fixations driven by positive selection currently found in DNA sequences, contrary to what has been previously suggested. We also developed a generalization of SR in which the optimum phenotype can change stochastically due to environmental or physiological shifts, which we called the variable regime (VR). VR models evolution as an interplay between adaptive processes and nearly neutral steady-state processes. When strong environmental fluctuations are incorporated, the process becomes a selection model
Size distributions and failure initiation of submarine and subaerial landslides
ten Brink, Uri S.; Barkan, R.; Andrews, B.D.; Chaytor, J.D.
2009-01-01
Landslides are often viewed together with other natural hazards, such as earthquakes and fires, as phenomena whose size distribution obeys an inverse power law. Inverse power law distributions are the result of additive avalanche processes, in which the final size cannot be predicted at the onset of the disturbance. Volume and area distributions of submarine landslides along the U.S. Atlantic continental slope follow a lognormal distribution and not an inverse power law. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we generated area distributions of submarine landslides that show a characteristic size and with few smaller and larger areas, which can be described well by a lognormal distribution. To generate these distributions we assumed that the area of slope failure depends on earthquake magnitude, i.e., that failure occurs simultaneously over the area affected by horizontal ground shaking, and does not cascade from nucleating points. Furthermore, the downslope movement of displaced sediments does not entrain significant amounts of additional material. Our simulations fit well the area distribution of landslide sources along the Atlantic continental margin, if we assume that the slope has been subjected to earthquakes of magnitude ??? 6.3. Regions of submarine landslides, whose area distributions obey inverse power laws, may be controlled by different generation mechanisms, such as the gradual development of fractures in the headwalls of cliffs. The observation of a large number of small subaerial landslides being triggered by a single earthquake is also compatible with the hypothesis that failure occurs simultaneously in many locations within the area affected by ground shaking. Unlike submarine landslides, which are found on large uniformly-dipping slopes, a single large landslide scarp cannot form on land because of the heterogeneous morphology and short slope distances of tectonically-active subaerial regions. However, for a given earthquake magnitude, the total area
Mass size distribution of particle-bound water
Canepari, S.; Simonetti, G.; Perrino, C.
2017-09-01
The thermal-ramp Karl-Fisher method (tr-KF) for the determination of PM-bound water has been applied to size-segregated PM samples collected in areas subjected to different environmental conditions (protracted atmospheric stability, desert dust intrusion, urban atmosphere). This method, based on the use of a thermal ramp for the desorption of water from PM samples and the subsequent analysis by the coulometric KF technique, had been previously shown to differentiate water contributes retained with different strength and associated to different chemical components in the atmospheric aerosol. The application of the method to size-segregated samples has revealed that water showed a typical mass size distribution in each one of the three environmental situations that were taken into consideration. A very similar size distribution was shown by the chemical PM components that prevailed during each event: ammonium nitrate in the case of atmospheric stability, crustal species in the case of desert dust, road-dust components in the case of urban sites. The shape of the tr-KF curve varied according to the size of the collected particles. Considering the size ranges that better characterize the event (fine fraction for atmospheric stability, coarse fraction for dust intrusion, bi-modal distribution for urban dust), this shape is coherent with the typical tr-KF shape shown by water bound to the chemical species that predominate in the same PM size range (ammonium nitrate, crustal species, secondary/combustion species - road dust components).
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Foerland, Kjersti
2005-01-01
In the thesis NMR spectroscopy is used for studying liquids confined in various porous materials. In the first part, pore size distributions of mesoporous silicas and controlled pore glasses were determined by measuring the 1H NMR signal from the non-frozen fraction of the confined liquid as a function of temperature, using benzene, acetonitrile and HMDS as probe molecules. In the second part, the molecular dynamics of acetonitrile, hexamethyldisilane, cyclohexane and cyclopentane confined in mesoporous materials were studied as a function of temperature. 6 papers are included with titles: 1) Pore-size determination of mesoporous materials by 1H NMR spectroscopy. 2) Pore-size distribution in mesoporous materials as studied by 1H NMR. 3) Dynamic 1H and 2H NMR investigations of acetonitrile confined in porous silica. 4) NMR investigations of hexamethyldisilane confined in controlled pore glasses: Pore size distribution and molecular dynamics studies. 5) 1H and 2H NMR studies of cyclohexane nano crystals in controlled pore glasses. 6) 1H NMR relaxation and diffusion studies of cyclohexane and cyclopentane confined in MCM-41
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Foerland, Kjersti
2005-07-01
In the thesis NMR spectroscopy is used for studying liquids confined in various porous materials. In the first part, pore size distributions of mesoporous silicas and controlled pore glasses were determined by measuring the 1H NMR signal from the non-frozen fraction of the confined liquid as a function of temperature, using benzene, acetonitrile and HMDS as probe molecules. In the second part, the molecular dynamics of acetonitrile, hexamethyldisilane, cyclohexane and cyclopentane confined in mesoporous materials were studied as a function of temperature. 6 papers are included with titles: 1) Pore-size determination of mesoporous materials by 1H NMR spectroscopy. 2) Pore-size distribution in mesoporous materials as studied by 1H NMR. 3) Dynamic 1H and 2H NMR investigations of acetonitrile confined in porous silica. 4) NMR investigations of hexamethyldisilane confined in controlled pore glasses: Pore size distribution and molecular dynamics studies. 5) 1H and 2H NMR studies of cyclohexane nano crystals in controlled pore glasses. 6) 1H NMR relaxation and diffusion studies of cyclohexane and cyclopentane confined in MCM-41.
Firm-size distribution and price-cost margins in Dutch manufacturing
Y.M. Prince (Yvonne); A.R. Thurik (Roy)
1993-01-01
textabstractIndustrial economists surmise a relation between the size distribution of firms and performance. Usually, attention is focused on the high end of the size distribution. The widely used 4-firm seller concentration, C4, ignores what happens at the low end of the size distribution. An
Size Evolution and Stochastic Models: Explaining Ostracod Size through Probabilistic Distributions
Krawczyk, M.; Decker, S.; Heim, N. A.; Payne, J.
2014-12-01
The biovolume of animals has functioned as an important benchmark for measuring evolution throughout geologic time. In our project, we examined the observed average body size of ostracods over time in order to understand the mechanism of size evolution in these marine organisms. The body size of ostracods has varied since the beginning of the Ordovician, where the first true ostracods appeared. We created a stochastic branching model to create possible evolutionary trees of ostracod size. Using stratigraphic ranges for ostracods compiled from over 750 genera in the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, we calculated overall speciation and extinction rates for our model. At each timestep in our model, new lineages can evolve or existing lineages can become extinct. Newly evolved lineages are assigned sizes based on their parent genera. We parameterized our model to generate neutral and directional changes in ostracod size to compare with the observed data. New sizes were chosen via a normal distribution, and the neutral model selected new sizes differentials centered on zero, allowing for an equal chance of larger or smaller ostracods at each speciation. Conversely, the directional model centered the distribution on a negative value, giving a larger chance of smaller ostracods. Our data strongly suggests that the overall direction of ostracod evolution has been following a model that directionally pushes mean ostracod size down, shying away from a neutral model. Our model was able to match the magnitude of size decrease. Our models had a constant linear decrease while the actual data had a much more rapid initial rate followed by a constant size. The nuance of the observed trends ultimately suggests a more complex method of size evolution. In conclusion, probabilistic methods can provide valuable insight into possible evolutionary mechanisms determining size evolution in ostracods.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nisbet, A.F.; Shaw, S.; Salbu, B.
1993-01-01
The feasibility of using hollow fibre ultrafiltration to determine the molecular size distribution of radionuclides in soil solution was investigated. The physical and chemical composition of soil plays a vital role in determining radionuclide uptake by plant roots. Soil solution samples were extracted from loam, peat and sand soils that had been artificially contaminated with 137 Cs, 90 Sr, 239 Pu and 241 Am six years previously as part of a five-year lysimeter study on radionuclide uptake to crops. Ultrafiltration of soil solution was performed using hollow fibre cartridges with a nominal molecular weight cut off of 3 and 10 kD. The association of 137 Cs, 90 Sr, 239 Pu and 241 Am with different molecular size fractions of the soil solution is discussed in terms of radionuclide bioavailability to cabbage grown in the same three soils. 137 Cs and 90 Sr were present in low molecular weight forms and as such were mobile in soil and potentially available for uptake by the cabbage. In contrast, a large proportion (61-87%) of the 239 Pu and 241 Am were associated with colloidal and high molecular weight material and therefore less available for uptake by plant roots. The contribution from low molecular weight species of 239 Pu and 241 Am to the total activity in soil solution decreased in the order loam ≥ peat ≥ sand. Association of radionuclides with low molecular weight species of less than 3 kD did not, however, automatically imply availability to plants. (author)
A multivariate rank test for comparing mass size distributions
Lombard, F.
2012-04-01
Particle size analyses of a raw material are commonplace in the mineral processing industry. Knowledge of particle size distributions is crucial in planning milling operations to enable an optimum degree of liberation of valuable mineral phases, to minimize plant losses due to an excess of oversize or undersize material or to attain a size distribution that fits a contractual specification. The problem addressed in the present paper is how to test the equality of two or more underlying size distributions. A distinguishing feature of these size distributions is that they are not based on counts of individual particles. Rather, they are mass size distributions giving the fractions of the total mass of a sampled material lying in each of a number of size intervals. As such, the data are compositional in nature, using the terminology of Aitchison [1] that is, multivariate vectors the components of which add to 100%. In the literature, various versions of Hotelling\\'s T 2 have been used to compare matched pairs of such compositional data. In this paper, we propose a robust test procedure based on ranks as a competitor to Hotelling\\'s T 2. In contrast to the latter statistic, the power of the rank test is not unduly affected by the presence of outliers or of zeros among the data. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
Distributions of households by size: differences and trends.
Kuznets, S
1982-01-01
"This article deals with the distributions of households by size, that is, by number of persons, as they are observed in international comparisons, and for fewer countries, over time." The contribution of differentials in household size to inequality in income distribution among persons and households is discussed. Data are for both developed and developing countries. excerpt
Fissure formation in coke. 3: Coke size distribution and statistical analysis
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
D.R. Jenkins; D.E. Shaw; M.R. Mahoney [CSIRO, North Ryde, NSW (Australia). Mathematical and Information Sciences
2010-07-15
A model of coke stabilization, based on a fundamental model of fissuring during carbonisation is used to demonstrate the applicability of the fissuring model to actual coke size distributions. The results indicate that the degree of stabilization is important in determining the size distribution. A modified form of the Weibull distribution is shown to provide a better representation of the whole coke size distribution compared to the Rosin-Rammler distribution, which is generally only fitted to the lump coke. A statistical analysis of a large number of experiments in a pilot scale coke oven shows reasonably good prediction of the coke mean size, based on parameters related to blend rank, amount of low rank coal, fluidity and ash. However, the prediction of measures of the spread of the size distribution is more problematic. The fissuring model, the size distribution representation and the statistical analysis together provide a comprehensive capability for understanding and predicting the mean size and distribution of coke lumps produced during carbonisation. 12 refs., 16 figs., 4 tabs.
A study of particle size distribution in zirconia-alumina powders
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ramakrishnan, K.N.; Venkadesan, S.; Nagarajan, R.
1996-01-01
Powder particles, in general are characterized in terms of particle size, size distributions and composition for reasons associated with manufacturing problem based upon product quality, manufacturing convenience, cost and product handling convenience. Particle size analysis or the measurement of particle size distribution is a common effort in any physical, chemical or mechanical processes. This information and processing methods are intricate factors that relate to material behavior and/or physical properties of the fabricated product. The requirements for the formation of a product of particulate solids and its strength varies as the particle size and the size distribution changes. Also the transport properties and the chemical activity are related to the particle size and the size distribution. The choice of a distribution to represent a physical system is generally motivated by an understanding of the nature of underlying phenomenon and is verified by the available data. After a model has been chosen, its parameter must be determined. The reasonableness of a selected model on the basis of given data is especially important when the model is to be used for prediction. Two different approaches in this problem are probability plotting and statistical tests
Distribution Of Natural Radioactivity On Soil Size Particles
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tran Van Luyen; Trinh Hoai Vinh; Thai Khac Dinh
2008-01-01
This report presents a distribution of natural radioactivity on different soil size particles, taken from one soil profile. On the results shows a range from 52% to 66% of natural radioisotopes such as 238 U, 232 Th, 226 Ra and 40 K concentrated on the soil particles below 40 micrometers in diameter size. The remained of natural radioisotopes were distributed on a soil particles with higher diameter size. The study is available for soil sample collected to natural radioactive analyze by gamma and alpha spectrometer methods. (author)
Determination of size distribution function
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Teshome, A.; Spartakove, A.
1987-05-01
The theory of a method is outlined which gives the size distribution function (SDF) of a polydispersed system of non-interacting colloidal and microscopic spherical particles, having sizes in the range 0-10 -5 cm., from a gedanken experimental scheme. It is assumed that the SDF is differentiable and the result is obtained for rotational frequency in the order of 10 3 (sec) -1 . The method may be used independently, but is particularly useful in conjunction with an alternate method described in a preceding paper. (author). 8 refs, 2 figs
Production, depreciation and the size distribution of firms
Ma, Qi; Chen, Yongwang; Tong, Hui; Di, Zengru
2008-05-01
Many empirical researches indicate that firm size distributions in different industries or countries exhibit some similar characters. Among them the fact that many firm size distributions obey power-law especially for the upper end has been mostly discussed. Here we present an agent-based model to describe the evolution of manufacturing firms. Some basic economic behaviors are taken into account, which are production with decreasing marginal returns, preferential allocation of investments, and stochastic depreciation. The model gives a steady size distribution of firms which obey power-law. The effect of parameters on the power exponent is analyzed. The theoretical results are given based on both the Fokker-Planck equation and the Kesten process. They are well consistent with the numerical results.
Size distributions of micro-bubbles generated by a pressurized dissolution method
Taya, C.; Maeda, Y.; Hosokawa, S.; Tomiyama, A.; Ito, Y.
2012-03-01
Size of micro-bubbles is widely distributed in the range of one to several hundreds micrometers and depends on generation methods, flow conditions and elapsed times after the bubble generation. Although a size distribution of micro-bubbles should be taken into account to improve accuracy in numerical simulations of flows with micro-bubbles, a variety of the size distribution makes it difficult to introduce the size distribution in the simulations. On the other hand, several models such as the Rosin-Rammler equation and the Nukiyama-Tanazawa equation have been proposed to represent the size distribution of particles or droplets. Applicability of these models to the size distribution of micro-bubbles has not been examined yet. In this study, we therefore measure size distribution of micro-bubbles generated by a pressurized dissolution method by using a phase Doppler anemometry (PDA), and investigate the applicability of the available models to the size distributions of micro-bubbles. Experimental apparatus consists of a pressurized tank in which air is dissolved in liquid under high pressure condition, a decompression nozzle in which micro-bubbles are generated due to pressure reduction, a rectangular duct and an upper tank. Experiments are conducted for several liquid volumetric fluxes in the decompression nozzle. Measurements are carried out at the downstream region of the decompression nozzle and in the upper tank. The experimental results indicate that (1) the Nukiyama-Tanasawa equation well represents the size distribution of micro-bubbles generated by the pressurized dissolution method, whereas the Rosin-Rammler equation fails in the representation, (2) the bubble size distribution of micro-bubbles can be evaluated by using the Nukiyama-Tanasawa equation without individual bubble diameters, when mean bubble diameter and skewness of the bubble distribution are given, and (3) an evaluation method of visibility based on the bubble size distribution and bubble
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fang, Zhigang; Patterson, B.R.
1993-01-01
The influence of initial particle size distribution on coarsening during liquid phase sintering has been experimentally investigated using W-14Ni-6Fe alloy as a model system. It was found that initially wider size distribution particles coarsened more rapidly than those of an initially narrow distribution. The well known linear relationship between the cube of the average particle radius bar r -3 , and time was observed for most of the coarsening process, although the early stage coarsening rate constant changed with time, as expected with concomitant early changes in the tungsten particle size distribution. The instantaneous transient rate constant was shown to be related to the geometric standard deviation, 1nσ, of the instantaneous size distributions, with higher rate constants corresponding to larger 1nσ values. The form of the particle size distributions changed rapidly during early coarsening and reached a quasi-stable state, different from the theoretical asymptotic distribution, after some time. A linear relationship was found between the experimentally observed instantaneous rate constant and that computed from an earlier model incorporating the effect of particle size distribution. The above results compare favorably with those from prior theoretical modeling and computer simulation studies of the effect of particle size distribution on coarsening, based on the DeHoff communicating neighbor model
Concentration and size distribution of particles in abstracted groundwater
Van Beek, C.G.E.M.; de Zwart, A.H.; Balemans, M.; Kooiman, J.W.; van Rosmalen, C.; Timmer, H.; Vandersluys, J.; Stuijfzand, P.J.
2010-01-01
Particle number concentrations have been counted and particle size distributions calculated in groundwater derived by abstraction wells. Both concentration and size distribution are governed by the discharge rate: the higher this rate the higher the concentration and the higher the proportion of
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Liu, Cong; Zhang, Yinping [Department of Building Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing (China); Weschler, Charles J., E-mail: weschlch@rwjms.rutgers.edu [Department of Building Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing (China); Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ (United States); International Center for Indoor Environment and Energy, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby (Denmark)
2014-11-01
Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) partition between the gas phase and airborne particles. The size distribution of particle-associated SVOCs impacts their fate in outdoor and indoor environments, as well as human exposure to these compounds and subsequent health risks. Allen et al. (1996) previously proposed that the rate of mass transfer can impact polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) partitioning among different sized particles, especially for time scales relevant to urban aerosols. The present study quantitatively builds on this idea, presenting a model that incorporates dynamic SVOC/particle interaction and applying this model to typical outdoor and indoor scenarios. The model indicates that the impact of mass transfer limitations on the size distribution of a particle-associated SVOC can be evaluated by the ratio of the time to achieve gas–particle equilibrium relative to the residence time of particles. The higher this ratio, the greater the influence of mass transfer limitations on the size distribution of particle-associated SVOCs. The influence of such constraints is largest on the fraction of particle-associated SVOCs in the coarse mode (> 2 μm). Predictions from the model have been found to be in reasonable agreement with size distributions measured for PAHs at roadside and suburban locations in Japan. The model also quantitatively explains shifts in the size distributions of particle associated SVOCs compared to those for particle mass, and the manner in which these shifts vary with temperature and an SVOC's molecular weight. - Highlights: • Rate of mass transfer can impact SVOC partitioning among different sized particles. • Model was developed that incorporates dynamic SVOC/particle sorption. • Key parameters: mass-transfer coefficients, partition coefficient, residence time • Model explains observed SVOC size distribution shifts with temperature and MW. • Largest impact of mass transfer constraints: SVOC sorption to coarse
Optimal placement and sizing of multiple distributed generating units in distribution
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
D. Rama Prabha
2016-06-01
Full Text Available Distributed generation (DG is becoming more important due to the increase in the demands for electrical energy. DG plays a vital role in reducing real power losses, operating cost and enhancing the voltage stability which is the objective function in this problem. This paper proposes a multi-objective technique for optimally determining the location and sizing of multiple distributed generation (DG units in the distribution network with different load models. The loss sensitivity factor (LSF determines the optimal placement of DGs. Invasive weed optimization (IWO is a population based meta-heuristic algorithm based on the behavior of weeds. This algorithm is used to find optimal sizing of the DGs. The proposed method has been tested for different load models on IEEE-33 bus and 69 bus radial distribution systems. This method has been compared with other nature inspired optimization methods. The simulated results illustrate the good applicability and performance of the proposed method.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Khorasani, R.; Pourmahdian, S.
2007-01-01
The Precise prediction of polypropylene synthesized by heterogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalysts needs good knowledge of parameters affecting on polymerization. molecular weight and molecular weight distribution are among important characteristics of a polymer determining physical-mechanical properties. broadening of molecular weight distribution is an important and well known characteristic of polypropylene synthesized by heterogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalysts, So it is important to understand the origin of broad molecular weight. Two main factors in broadening molecular weight, namely mass transfer resistances and multiplicity of active sites, are discussed in this paper and a model including these factors is presented. Then we calculate molecular weight and molecular weight distribution by the model and compare our results with
Particle size analysis in estimating the significance of airborne contamination
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1978-01-01
In this report information on pertinent methods and techniques for analysing particle size distributions is compiled. The principles underlying the measurement methods are described, and the merits of different methods in relation to the information being sought and to their usefulness in the laboratory and in the field are explained. Descriptions on sampling methods, gravitational and inertial particle separation methods, electrostatic sizing devices, diffusion batteries, optical sizing techniques and autoradiography are included. Finally, the report considers sampling for respirable activity and problems related to instrument calibration
A new stochastic algorithm for inversion of dust aerosol size distribution
Wang, Li; Li, Feng; Yang, Ma-ying
2015-08-01
Dust aerosol size distribution is an important source of information about atmospheric aerosols, and it can be determined from multiwavelength extinction measurements. This paper describes a stochastic inverse technique based on artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm to invert the dust aerosol size distribution by light extinction method. The direct problems for the size distribution of water drop and dust particle, which are the main elements of atmospheric aerosols, are solved by the Mie theory and the Lambert-Beer Law in multispectral region. And then, the parameters of three widely used functions, i.e. the log normal distribution (L-N), the Junge distribution (J-J), and the normal distribution (N-N), which can provide the most useful representation of aerosol size distributions, are inversed by the ABC algorithm in the dependent model. Numerical results show that the ABC algorithm can be successfully applied to recover the aerosol size distribution with high feasibility and reliability even in the presence of random noise.
Test of methods for retrospective activity size distribution determination from filter samples
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Meisenberg, Oliver; Tschiersch, Jochen
2015-01-01
Determining the activity size distribution of radioactive aerosol particles requires sophisticated and heavy equipment, which makes measurements at large number of sites difficult and expensive. Therefore three methods for a retrospective determination of size distributions from aerosol filter samples in the laboratory were tested for their applicability. Extraction into a carrier liquid with subsequent nebulisation showed size distributions with a slight but correctable bias towards larger diameters compared with the original size distribution. Yields in the order of magnitude of 1% could be achieved. Sonication-assisted extraction into a carrier liquid caused a coagulation mode to appear in the size distribution. Sonication-assisted extraction into the air did not show acceptable results due to small yields. The method of extraction into a carrier liquid without sonication was applied to aerosol samples from Chernobyl in order to calculate inhalation dose coefficients for 137 Cs based on the individual size distribution. The effective dose coefficient is about half of that calculated with a default reference size distribution. - Highlights: • Activity size distributions can be recovered after aerosol sampling on filters. • Extraction into a carrier liquid and subsequent nebulisation is appropriate. • This facilitates the determination of activity size distributions for individuals. • Size distributions from this method can be used for individual dose coefficients. • Dose coefficients were calculated for the workers at the new Chernobyl shelter
A model of litter size distribution in cattle.
Bennett, G L; Echternkamp, S E; Gregory, K E
1998-07-01
Genetic increases in twinning of cattle could result in increased frequency of triplet or higher-order births. There are no estimates of the incidence of triplets in populations with genetic levels of twinning over 40% because these populations either have not existed or have not been documented. A model of the distribution of litter size in cattle is proposed. Empirical estimates of ovulation rate distribution in sheep were combined with biological hypotheses about the fate of embryos in cattle. Two phases of embryo loss were hypothesized. The first phase is considered to be preimplantation. Losses in this phase occur independently (i.e., the loss of one embryo does not affect the loss of the remaining embryos). The second phase occurs after implantation. The loss of one embryo in this stage results in the loss of all embryos. Fewer than 5% triplet births are predicted when 50% of births are twins and triplets. Above 60% multiple births, increased triplets accounted for most of the increase in litter size. Predictions were compared with data from 5,142 calvings by 14 groups of heifers and cows with average litter sizes ranging from 1.14 to 1.36 calves. The predicted number of triplets was not significantly different (chi2 = 16.85, df = 14) from the observed number. The model also predicted differences in conception rates. A cow ovulating two ova was predicted to have the highest conception rate in a single breeding cycle. As mean ovulation rate increased, predicted conception to one breeding cycle increased. Conception to two or three breeding cycles decreased as mean ovulation increased because late-pregnancy failures increased. An alternative model of the fate of ova in cattle based on embryo and uterine competency predicts very similar proportions of singles, twins, and triplets but different conception rates. The proposed model of litter size distribution in cattle accurately predicts the proportion of triplets found in cattle with genetically high twinning
Development of flurbiprofen-loaded nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution using sucrose.
Oh, Dong Hoon; Yan, Yi-Dong; Kim, Dong Wuk; Kim, Jong Oh; Yong, Chul Soon; Choi, Han-Gon
2014-02-01
A novel flurbiprofen-loaded nanoemulsion which gave uniform emulsion droplets with a narrow size distribution was previously reported to be prepared using membrane emulsification method. The purpose of this study is to develop a novel flurbiprofen-loaded nanoparticle with a narrow size distribution and improved bioavailability. The nanoparticle was prepared by solidifying nanoemulsion using sucrose as a carrier via spray drying method. Its physicochemical properties were investigated using SEM, DSC and PXRD. Furthermore, dissolution and bioavailability in rats were evaluated compared to a flurbiprofen-loaded commercial product. The flurbiprofen-loaded nanoparticles with flurbiprofen/sucrose/surfactant mixture (1/20/2, weight ratio) gave good solidification and no stickiness. They associated with about 70,000-fold improved drug solubility and had a mean size of about 300 nm with a narrow size distribution. Flurbiprofen was present in a changed amorphous state in these nanoparticles. Moreover, the nanoparticles gave significantly shorter Tmax, and higher AUC and Cmax of the drug compared to the commercial product (p flurbiprofen-loaded nanoparticles prepared with sucrose by the membrane emulsification and spray drying method would be a potential candidate for orally delivering poorly water-soluble flurbiprofen with enhanced bioavailability.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Davis, W. Jr.; West, G.A.; Stacy, R.G.
1979-01-01
Sieve fractionation was performed with oxide particles dislodged during shearing of unirradiated or irradiated fuel bundles or single rods of UO 2 or 96 to 97% ThO 2 --3 to 4% UO 2 . Analyses of these data by nonlinear least-squares techniques demonstrated that the particle size distribution is lognormal. Variables involved in the numerical analyses include lognormal median size, lognormal standard deviation, and shear cut length. Sieve-fractionation data are presented for unirradiated bundles of stainless-steel-clad or Zircaloy-2-clad UO 2 or ThO 2 --UO 2 sheared into lengths from 0.5 to 2.0 in. Data are also presented for irradiated single rods (sheared into lengths of 0.25 to 2.0 in.) of Zircaloy-2-clad UO 2 from BWRs and of Zircaloy-4-clad UO 2 from PWRs. Median particle sizes of UO 2 from shearing irradiated stainless-steel-clad fuel ranged from 103 to 182 μm; particle sizes of ThO 2 --UO 2 , under these same conditions, ranged from 137 to 202 μm. Similarly, median particle sizes of UO 2 from shearing unirradiated Zircaloy-2-clad fuel ranged from 230 to 957 μm. Irradiation levels of fuels from reactors ranged from 9,000 to 28,000 MWd/MTU. In general, particle sizes from shearing these irradiated fuels are larger than those from the unirradiated fuels. In addition, variations in particle size parameters pertaining to samples of a single vendor varied as much as those between different vendors. The fraction of fuel dislodged from the cladding is nearly proportional to the reciprocal of the shear cut length, until the cut length attains some minimum value below which all fuel is dislodged. Particles of fuel are generally elongated with a long-to-short axis ratio usually less than 3. Using parameters of the lognormal distribution deduced from experimental data, realistic estimates can be made of fractions of dislodged fuel having dimensions less than specified values
Significant Effect of Pore Sizes on Energy Storage in Nanoporous Carbon Supercapacitors.
Young, Christine; Lin, Jianjian; Wang, Jie; Ding, Bing; Zhang, Xiaogang; Alshehri, Saad M; Ahamad, Tansir; Salunkhe, Rahul R; Hossain, Shahriar A; Khan, Junayet Hossain; Ide, Yusuke; Kim, Jeonghun; Henzie, Joel; Wu, Kevin C-W; Kobayashi, Naoya; Yamauchi, Yusuke
2018-04-20
Mesoporous carbon can be synthesized with good control of surface area, pore-size distribution, and porous architecture. Although the relationship between porosity and supercapacitor performance is well known, there are no thorough reports that compare the performance of numerous types of carbon samples side by side. In this manuscript, we describe the performance of 13 porous carbon samples in supercapacitor devices. We suggest that there is a "critical pore size" at which guest molecules can pass through the pores effectively. In this context, the specific surface area (SSA) and pore-size distribution (PSD) are used to show the point at which the pore size crosses the threshold of critical size. These measurements provide a guide for the development of new kinds of carbon materials for supercapacitor devices. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Velocity Distributions in Inelastic Granular Gases with Continuous Size Distributions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Li Rui; Li Zhi-Hao; Zhang Duan-Ming
2011-01-01
We study by numerical simulation the property of velocity distributions of granular gases with a power-law size distribution, driven by uniform heating and boundary heating. It is found that the form of velocity distribution is primarily controlled by the restitution coefficient η and q, the ratio between the average number of heatings and the average number of collisions in the system. Furthermore, we show that uniform and boundary heating can be understood as different limits of q, with q ≫ 1 and q ≤ 1, respectively. (general)
Accessing the molecular frame through strong-field alignment of distributions of gas phase molecules
Reid, Katharine L.
2018-03-01
A rationale for creating highly aligned distributions of molecules is that it enables vector properties referenced to molecule-fixed axes (the molecular frame) to be determined. In the present work, the degree of alignment that is necessary for this to be achieved in practice is explored. Alignment is commonly parametrized in experiments by a single parameter, ?, which is insufficient to enable predictive calculations to be performed. Here, it is shown that, if the full distribution of molecular axes takes a Gaussian form, this single parameter can be used to determine the complete set of alignment moments needed to characterize the distribution. In order to demonstrate the degree of alignment that is required to approach the molecular frame, the alignment moments corresponding to a few chosen values of ? are used to project a model molecular frame photoelectron angular distribution into the laboratory frame. These calculations show that ? needs to approach 0.9 in order to avoid significant blurring to be caused by averaging. This article is part of the theme issue `Modern theoretical chemistry'.
Linear Model for Optimal Distributed Generation Size Predication
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ahmed Al Ameri
2017-01-01
Full Text Available This article presents a linear model predicting optimal size of Distributed Generation (DG that addresses the minimum power loss. This method is based fundamentally on strong coupling between active power and voltage angle as well as between reactive power and voltage magnitudes. This paper proposes simplified method to calculate the total power losses in electrical grid for different distributed generation sizes and locations. The method has been implemented and tested on several IEEE bus test systems. The results show that the proposed method is capable of predicting approximate optimal size of DG when compared with precision calculations. The method that linearizes a complex model showed a good result, which can actually reduce processing time required. The acceptable accuracy with less time and memory required can help the grid operator to assess power system integrated within large-scale distribution generation.
Effects of fuel particle size distributions on neutron transport in stochastic media
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Liang, Chao; Pavlou, Andrew T.; Ji, Wei
2014-01-01
Highlights: • Effects of fuel particle size distributions on neutron transport are evaluated. • Neutron channeling is identified as the fundamental reason for the effects. • The effects are noticeable at low packing and low optical thickness systems. • Unit cells of realistic reactor designs are studied for different size particles. • Fuel particle size distribution effects are not negligible in realistic designs. - Abstract: This paper presents a study of the fuel particle size distribution effects on neutron transport in three-dimensional stochastic media. Particle fuel is used in gas-cooled nuclear reactor designs and innovative light water reactor designs loaded with accident tolerant fuel. Due to the design requirements and fuel fabrication limits, the size of fuel particles may not be perfectly constant but instead follows a certain distribution. This brings a fundamental question to the radiation transport computation community: how does the fuel particle size distribution affect the neutron transport in particle fuel systems? To answer this question, size distribution effects and their physical interpretations are investigated by performing a series of neutron transport simulations at different fuel particle size distributions. An eigenvalue problem is simulated in a cylindrical container consisting of fissile fuel particles with five different size distributions: constant, uniform, power, exponential and Gaussian. A total of 15 parametric cases are constructed by altering the fissile particle volume packing fraction and its optical thickness, but keeping the mean chord length of the spherical fuel particle the same at different size distributions. The tallied effective multiplication factor (k eff ) and the spatial distribution of fission power density along axial and radial directions are compared between different size distributions. At low packing fraction and low optical thickness, the size distribution shows a noticeable effect on neutron
Reconstructing the size distribution of the primordial Main Belt
Tsirvoulis, G.; Morbidelli, A.; Delbo, M.; Tsiganis, K.
2018-04-01
In this work we aim to constrain the slope of the size distribution of main-belt asteroids, at their primordial state. To do so we turn out attention to the part of the main asteroid belt between 2.82 and 2.96 AU, the so-called "pristine zone", which has a low number density of asteroids and few, well separated asteroid families. Exploiting these unique characteristics, and using a modified version of the hierarchical clustering method we are able to remove the majority of asteroid family members from the region. The remaining, background asteroids should be of primordial origin, as the strong 5/2 and 7/3 mean-motion resonances with Jupiter inhibit transfer of asteroids to and from the neighboring regions. The size-frequency distribution of asteroids in the size range 17 size distribution slope q = - 1.43 . In addition, applying the same 'family extraction' method to the neighboring regions, i.e. the middle and outer belts, and comparing the size distributions of the respective background populations, we find statistical evidence that no large asteroid families of primordial origin had formed in the middle or pristine zones.
Methods of assessing grain-size distribution during grain growth
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Tweed, Cherry J.; Hansen, Niels; Ralph, Brian
1985-01-01
This paper considers methods of obtaining grain-size distributions and ways of describing them. In order to collect statistically useful amounts of data, an automatic image analyzer is used, and the resulting data are subjected to a series of tests that evaluate the differences between two related...... distributions (before and after grain growth). The distributions are measured from two-dimensional sections, and both the data and the corresponding true three-dimensional grain-size distributions (obtained by stereological analysis) are collected. The techniques described here are illustrated by reference...
Elferink, Stephanie; Neuhaus, Stefan; Wohlrab, Sylke; Toebe, Kerstin; Voß, Daniela; Gottschling, Marc; Lundholm, Nina; Krock, Bernd; Koch, Boris P.; Zielinski, Oliver; Cembella, Allan; John, Uwe
2017-03-01
Arctic regions have experienced pronounced biological and biophysical transformations as a result of global change processes over the last several decades. Current hypotheses propose an elevated impact of those environmental changes on the biodiversity, community composition and metabolic processes of species. The effects on ecosystem function and services, particularly when invasive or toxigenic harmful species become dominant, can be expressed over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales in plankton communities. Our study focused on the comparison of molecular biodiversity of three size-fractions (micro-, nano-, picoplankton) in the coastal pelagic zone of West Greenland and their association with environmental parameters. Molecular diversity was assessed via parallel amplicon sequencing the 28S rRNA hypervariable D1/D2 region. We showed that biodiversity distribution within the area of Uummannaq Fjord, Vaigat Strait and Disko Bay differed markedly within and among size-fractions. In general, we observed a higher diversity within the picoplankton size fraction compared to the nano- and microplankton. In multidimensional scaling analysis, community composition of all three size fractions correlated with cell size, silicate and phosphate, chlorophyll a (chl a) and dinophysistoxin (DTX). Individually, each size fraction community composition also correlated with other different environmental parameters, i.e. temperature and nitrate. We observed a more homogeneous community of the picoplankton across all stations compared to the larger size classes, despite different prevailing environmental conditions of the sampling areas. This suggests that habitat niche occupation for larger-celled species may lead to higher functional trait plasticity expressed as an enhanced range of phenotypes, whereas smaller organisms may compensate for lower potential plasticity with higher diversity. The presence of recently identified toxigenic harmful algal bloom (HAB) species (such
Particle Size Distributions in Chondritic Meteorites: Evidence for Pre-Planetesimal Histories
Simon, J. I.; Cuzzi, J. N.; McCain, K. A.; Cato, M. J.; Christoffersen, P. A.; Fisher, K. R.; Srinivasan, P.; Tait, A. W.; Olson, D. M.; Scargle, J. D.
2018-01-01
Magnesium-rich silicate chondrules and calcium-, aluminum-rich refractory inclusions (CAIs) are fundamental components of primitive chondritic meteorites. It has been suggested that concentration of these early-formed particles by nebular sorting processes may lead to accretion of planetesimals, the planetary bodies that represent the building blocks of the terrestrial planets. In this case, the size distributions of the particles may constrain the accretion process. Here we present new particle size distribution data for Northwest Africa 5717, a primitive ordinary chondrite (ungrouped 3.05) and the well-known carbonaceous chondrite Allende (CV3). Instead of the relatively narrow size distributions obtained in previous studies (Ebel et al., 2016; Friedrich et al., 2015; Paque and Cuzzi, 1997, and references therein), we observed broad size distributions for all particle types in both meteorites. Detailed microscopic image analysis of Allende shows differences in the size distributions of chondrule subtypes, but collectively these subpopulations comprise a composite "chondrule" size distribution that is similar to the broad size distribution found for CAIs. Also, we find accretionary 'dust' rims on only a subset (approximately 15-20 percent) of the chondrules contained in Allende, which indicates that subpopulations of chondrules experienced distinct histories prior to planetary accretion. For the rimmed subset, we find positive correlation between rim thickness and chondrule size. The remarkable similarity between the size distributions of various subgroups of particles, both with and without fine grained rims, implies a common size sorting process. Chondrite classification schemes, astrophysical disk models that predict a narrow chondrule size population and/or a common localized formation event, and conventional particle analysis methods must all be critically reevaluated. We support the idea that distinct "lithologies" in NWA 5717 are nebular aggregates of
Development of sample size allocation program using hypergeometric distribution
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kim, Hyun Tae; Kwack, Eun Ho; Park, Wan Soo; Min, Kyung Soo; Park, Chan Sik
1996-01-01
The objective of this research is the development of sample allocation program using hypergeometric distribution with objected-oriented method. When IAEA(International Atomic Energy Agency) performs inspection, it simply applies a standard binomial distribution which describes sampling with replacement instead of a hypergeometric distribution which describes sampling without replacement in sample allocation to up to three verification methods. The objective of the IAEA inspection is the timely detection of diversion of significant quantities of nuclear material, therefore game theory is applied to its sampling plan. It is necessary to use hypergeometric distribution directly or approximate distribution to secure statistical accuracy. Improved binomial approximation developed by Mr. J. L. Jaech and correctly applied binomial approximation are more closer to hypergeometric distribution in sample size calculation than the simply applied binomial approximation of the IAEA. Object-oriented programs of 1. sample approximate-allocation with correctly applied standard binomial approximation, 2. sample approximate-allocation with improved binomial approximation, and 3. sample approximate-allocation with hypergeometric distribution were developed with Visual C ++ and corresponding programs were developed with EXCEL(using Visual Basic for Application). 8 tabs., 15 refs. (Author)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Farrington, Keith [School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 (Ireland); Magner, Edmond [Materials and Surface Science Institute, Chemical and Environmental Sciences Department, University of Limerick, Limerick (Ireland); Regan, Fiona [School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 (Ireland)]. E-mail: fiona.regan@dcu.ie
2006-04-27
A rational design approach was taken to the planning and synthesis of a molecularly imprinted polymer capable of extracting caffeine (the template molecule) from a standard solution of caffeine and further from a food sample containing caffeine. Data from NMR titration experiments in conjunction with a molecular modelling approach was used in predicting the relative ratios of template to functional monomer and furthermore determined both the choice of solvent (porogen) and the amount used for the study. In addition the molecular modelling program yielded information regarding the thermodynamic stability of the pre-polymerisation complex. Post-polymerisation analysis of the polymer itself by analysis of the pore size distribution by BET yielded significant information regarding the nature of the size and distribution of the pores within the polymer matrix. Here is proposed a stepwise procedure for the development and testing of a molecularly imprinted polymer using a well-studied compound-caffeine as a model system. It is shown that both the physical characteristics of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) and the analysis of the pre-polymerisation complex can yield vital information, which can predict how well a given MIP will perform.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Farrington, Keith; Magner, Edmond; Regan, Fiona
2006-01-01
A rational design approach was taken to the planning and synthesis of a molecularly imprinted polymer capable of extracting caffeine (the template molecule) from a standard solution of caffeine and further from a food sample containing caffeine. Data from NMR titration experiments in conjunction with a molecular modelling approach was used in predicting the relative ratios of template to functional monomer and furthermore determined both the choice of solvent (porogen) and the amount used for the study. In addition the molecular modelling program yielded information regarding the thermodynamic stability of the pre-polymerisation complex. Post-polymerisation analysis of the polymer itself by analysis of the pore size distribution by BET yielded significant information regarding the nature of the size and distribution of the pores within the polymer matrix. Here is proposed a stepwise procedure for the development and testing of a molecularly imprinted polymer using a well-studied compound-caffeine as a model system. It is shown that both the physical characteristics of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) and the analysis of the pre-polymerisation complex can yield vital information, which can predict how well a given MIP will perform
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Antonella Bisio
2015-03-01
Full Text Available The evaluation of weight average molecular weight (Mw and molecular weight distribution represents one of the most controversial aspects concerning the characterization of low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs. As the most commonly used method for the measurement of such parameters is high performance size exclusion chromatography (HP-SEC, the soundness of results mainly depends on the appropriate calibration of the chromatographic columns used. With the aim of meeting the requirement of proper Mw standards for LMWHs, in the present work the determination of molecular weight parameters (Mw and Mn by HP-SEC combined with a triple detector array (TDA was performed. The HP-SEC/TDA technique permits the evaluation of polymeric samples by exploiting the combined and simultaneous action of three on-line detectors: light scattering detectors (LALLS/RALLS; refractometer and viscometer. Three commercial LMWH samples, enoxaparin, tinzaparin and dalteparin, a γ-ray depolymerized heparin (γ-Hep and its chromatographic fractions, and a synthetic pentasaccharide were analysed by HP-SEC/TDA. The same samples were analysed also with a conventional HP-SEC method employing refractive index (RI and UV detectors and two different chromatographic column set, silica gel and polymeric gel columns. In both chromatographic systems, two different calibration curves were built up by using (i γ-Hep chromatographic fractions and the corresponding Mw parameters obtained via HP-SEC/TDA; (ii the whole γ-Hep preparation with broad Mw dispersion and the corresponding cumulative distribution function calculated via HP-SEC/TDA. In addition, also a chromatographic column calibration according to European Pharmacopoeia indication was built up. By comparing all the obtained results, some important differences among Mw and size distribution values of the three LMWHs were found with the five different calibration methods and with HP-SEC/TDA method. In particular, the detection of
Patade, Sachin; Prabha, T. V.; Axisa, D.; Gayatri, K.; Heymsfield, A.
2015-10-01
A comprehensive analysis of particle size distributions measured in situ with airborne instrumentation during the Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) is presented. In situ airborne observations in the developing stage of continental convective clouds during premonsoon (PRE), transition, and monsoon (MON) period at temperatures from 25 to -22°C are used in the study. The PRE clouds have narrow drop size and particle size distributions compared to monsoon clouds and showed less development of size spectra with decrease in temperature. Overall, the PRE cases had much lower values of particle number concentrations and ice water content compared to MON cases, indicating large differences in the ice initiation and growth processes between these cloud regimes. This study provided compelling evidence that in addition to dynamics, aerosol and moisture are important for modulating ice microphysical processes in PRE and MON clouds through impacts on cloud drop size distribution. Significant differences are observed in the relationship of the slope and intercept parameters of the fitted particle size distributions (PSDs) with temperature in PRE and MON clouds. The intercept values are higher in MON clouds than PRE for exponential distribution which can be attributed to higher cloud particle number concentrations and ice water content in MON clouds. The PRE clouds tend to have larger values of dispersion of gamma size distributions than MON clouds, signifying narrower spectra. The relationships between PSDs parameters are presented and compared with previous observations.
Vibro-spring particle size distribution analyser
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Patel, Ketan Shantilal
2002-01-01
This thesis describes the design and development of an automated pre-production particle size distribution analyser for particles in the 20 - 2000 μm size range. This work is follow up to the vibro-spring particle sizer reported by Shaeri. In its most basic form, the instrument comprises a horizontally held closed coil helical spring that is partly filled with the test powder and sinusoidally vibrated in the transverse direction. Particle size distribution data are obtained by stretching the spring to known lengths and measuring the mass of the powder discharged from the spring's coils. The size of the particles on the other hand is determined from the spring 'intercoil' distance. The instrument developed by Shaeri had limited use due to its inability to measure sample mass directly. For the device reported here, modifications are made to the original configurations to establish means of direct sample mass measurement. The feasibility of techniques for measuring the mass of powder retained within the spring are investigated in detail. Initially, the measurement of mass is executed in-situ from the vibration characteristics based on the spring's first harmonic resonant frequency. This method is often erratic and unreliable due to the particle-particle-spring wall interactions and the spring bending. An much more successful alternative is found from a more complicated arrangement in which the spring forms part of a stiff cantilever system pivoted along its main axis. Here, the sample mass is determined in the 'static mode' by monitoring the cantilever beam's deflection following the wanton termination of vibration. The system performance has been optimised through the variations of the mechanical design of the key components and the operating procedure as well as taking into account the effect of changes in the ambient temperature on the system's response. The thesis also describes the design and development of the ancillary mechanisms. These include the pneumatic
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhao, Suping; Yu, Ye; Xia, Dunsheng; Yin, Daiying; He, Jianjun; Liu, Na; Li, Fang
2015-01-01
The dust origins of the two events were identified using HYSPLIT trajectory model and MODIS and CALIPSO satellite data to understand the particle size distribution during two contrasting dust events originated from Taklimakan and Gobi deserts. The supermicron particles significantly increased during the dust events. The dust event from Gobi desert affected significantly on the particles larger than 2.5 μm, while that from Taklimakan desert impacted obviously on the particles in 1.0–2.5 μm. It is found that the particle size distributions and their modal parameters such as VMD (volume median diameter) have significant difference for varying dust origins. The dust from Taklimakan desert was finer than that from Gobi desert also probably due to other influencing factors such as mixing between dust and urban emissions. Our findings illustrated the capacity of combining in situ, satellite data and trajectory model to characterize large-scale dust plumes with a variety of aerosol parameters. - Highlights: • Dust particle size distributions had large differences for varying origins. • Dust originating from Taklimakan Desert was finer than that from Gobi Desert. • Effect of dust on the supermicron particles was obvious. • PM_1_0 concentrations increased by a factor of 3.4–25.6 during the dust event. - Dust particle size distributions had large differences for varying origins, which may be also related to other factors such as mixing between dust and urban emissions.
Radioactive Aerosol Size Distribution Measured in Nuclear Workplaces
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kravchik, T.; Oved, S.; German, U.
2002-01-01
Inhalation is the main route for internal exposure of workers to radioactive aerosols in the nuclear industry.Aerosol's size distribution and in particular its activity median aerodynamic diameter (AMAD)is important for determining the fractional deposition of inhaled particles in the respiratory tract and the resulting doses. Respiratory tract models have been published by the International Commission on radiological Protection (ICRP).The former model has recommended a default AMAD of 1 micron for the calculation of dose coefficients for workers in the nuclear industry [1].The recent model recommends a 5 microns default diameter for occupational exposure which is considered to be more representative of workplace aerosols [2]. Several researches on radioactive aerosol's size distribution in nuclear workplaces has supported this recommendation [3,4].This paper presents the results of radioactive aerosols size distribution measurements taken at several workplaces of the uranium production process
Simulation and analysis of the soot particle size distribution in a turbulent nonpremixed flame
Lucchesi, Marco
2017-02-05
A modeling framework based on Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) is employed to simulate the evolution of the soot particle size distribution in turbulent sooting flames. The stochastic reactor describes the evolution of soot in fluid parcels following Lagrangian trajectories in a turbulent flow field. The trajectories are sampled from a Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of a n-heptane turbulent nonpremixed flame. The DSMC method is validated against experimentally measured size distributions in laminar premixed flames and found to reproduce quantitatively the experimental results, including the appearance of the second mode at large aggregate sizes and the presence of a trough at mobility diameters in the range 3–8 nm. The model is then applied to the simulation of soot formation and growth in simplified configurations featuring a constant concentration of soot precursors and the evolution of the size distribution in time is found to depend on the intensity of the nucleation rate. Higher nucleation rates lead to a higher peak in number density and to the size distribution attaining its second mode sooner. The ensemble-averaged PSDF in the turbulent flame is computed from individual samples of the PSDF from large sets of Lagrangian trajectories. This statistical measure is equivalent to time-averaged, scanning mobility particle size (SMPS) measurements in turbulent flames. Although individual trajectories display strong bimodality as in laminar flames, the ensemble-average PSDF possesses only one mode and a long, broad tail, which implies significant polydispersity induced by turbulence. Our results agree very well with SMPS measurements available in the literature. Conditioning on key features of the trajectory, such as mixture fraction or radial locations does not reduce the scatter in the size distributions and the ensemble-averaged PSDF remains broad. The results highlight and explain the important role of turbulence in broadening the size distribution of
Single-size thermometric measurements on a size distribution of neutral fullerenes.
Cauchy, C; Bakker, J M; Huismans, Y; Rouzée, A; Redlich, B; van der Meer, A F G; Bordas, C; Vrakking, M J J; Lépine, F
2013-05-10
We present measurements of the velocity distribution of electrons emitted from mass-selected neutral fullerenes, performed at the intracavity free electron laser FELICE. We make use of mass-specific vibrational resonances in the infrared domain to selectively heat up one out of a distribution of several fullerene species. Efficient energy redistribution leads to decay via thermionic emission. Time-resolved electron kinetic energy distributions measured give information on the decay rate of the selected fullerene. This method is generally applicable to all neutral species that exhibit thermionic emission and provides a unique tool to study the stability of mass-selected neutral clusters and molecules that are only available as part of a size distribution.
Simulation of the measure of the microparticle size distribution in two dimensions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lameiras, F.S.; Silva Neto, P.P. da
1987-01-01
For the nuclear ceramic industry, the determination of the porous size distribution is very important to predict the dimensional thermal stability of uranium dioxide sintered pellets. The determination of the grain size distribution is still very important to predict the operation behavior of these pellets, as well as to control the fabrication process. The Saltykov method is commonly used to determine the microparticles size distribution. A simulation for two-dimensions, using this method and the size distribution of cords to calculate the area distribution [pt
Lozano-Cortes, Diego
2015-10-29
Coral colony size-frequency distributions can be used to assess population responses to local environmental conditions and disturbances. In this study, we surveyed juvenile pocilloporids, herbivorous fish densities, and algal cover in the central and southern Saudi Arabian Red Sea. We sampled nine reefs with different disturbance histories along a north–south natural gradient of physicochemical conditions (higher salinity and wider temperature fluctuations in the north, and higher turbidity and productivity in the south). Since coral populations with negatively skewed size-frequency distributions have been associated with unfavorable environmental conditions, we expected to find more negative distributions in the southern Red Sea, where corals are potentially experiencing suboptimal conditions. Although juvenile coral and parrotfish densities differed significantly between the two regions, mean colony size and size-frequency distributions did not. Results suggest that pocilloporid colony size-frequency distribution may not be an accurate indicator of differences in biological or oceanographic conditions in the Red Sea.
Lozano-Cortés, Diego F; Berumen, Michael L
2016-04-30
Coral colony size-frequency distributions can be used to assess population responses to local environmental conditions and disturbances. In this study, we surveyed juvenile pocilloporids, herbivorous fish densities, and algal cover in the central and southern Saudi Arabian Red Sea. We sampled nine reefs with different disturbance histories along a north-south natural gradient of physicochemical conditions (higher salinity and wider temperature fluctuations in the north, and higher turbidity and productivity in the south). Since coral populations with negatively skewed size-frequency distributions have been associated with unfavorable environmental conditions, we expected to find more negative distributions in the southern Red Sea, where corals are potentially experiencing suboptimal conditions. Although juvenile coral and parrotfish densities differed significantly between the two regions, mean colony size and size-frequency distributions did not. Results suggest that pocilloporid colony size-frequency distribution may not be an accurate indicator of differences in biological or oceanographic conditions in the Red Sea. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Effects of grain size distribution on the interstellar dust mass growth
Hirashita, Hiroyuki; Kuo, Tzu-Ming
2011-01-01
Grain growth by the accretion of metals in interstellar clouds (called `grain growth') could be one of the dominant processes that determine the dust content in galaxies. The importance of grain size distribution for the grain growth is demonstrated in this paper. First, we derive an analytical formula that gives the grain size distribution after the grain growth in individual clouds for any initial grain size distribution. The time-scale of the grain growth is very sensitive to grain size di...
Cell-size distribution in epithelial tissue formation and homeostasis.
Puliafito, Alberto; Primo, Luca; Celani, Antonio
2017-03-01
How cell growth and proliferation are orchestrated in living tissues to achieve a given biological function is a central problem in biology. During development, tissue regeneration and homeostasis, cell proliferation must be coordinated by spatial cues in order for cells to attain the correct size and shape. Biological tissues also feature a notable homogeneity of cell size, which, in specific cases, represents a physiological need. Here, we study the temporal evolution of the cell-size distribution by applying the theory of kinetic fragmentation to tissue development and homeostasis. Our theory predicts self-similar probability density function (PDF) of cell size and explains how division times and redistribution ensure cell size homogeneity across the tissue. Theoretical predictions and numerical simulations of confluent non-homeostatic tissue cultures show that cell size distribution is self-similar. Our experimental data confirm predictions and reveal that, as assumed in the theory, cell division times scale like a power-law of the cell size. We find that in homeostatic conditions there is a stationary distribution with lognormal tails, consistently with our experimental data. Our theoretical predictions and numerical simulations show that the shape of the PDF depends on how the space inherited by apoptotic cells is redistributed and that apoptotic cell rates might also depend on size. © 2017 The Author(s).
Determination of Size Distributions in Nanocrystalline Powders by TEM, XRD and SAXS
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Jensen, Henrik; Pedersen, Jørgen Houe; Jørgensen, Jens Erik
2006-01-01
Crystallite size distributions and particle size distributions were determined by TEM, XRD, and SAXS for three commercially available TiO2 samples and one homemade. The theoretical Guinier Model was fitted to the experimental data and compared to analytical expressions. Modeling of the XRD spectra...... the size distribution obtained from the XRD experiments; however, a good agreement was obtained between the two techniques. Electron microscopy, SEM and TEM, confirmed the primary particle sizes, the size distributions, and the shapes obtained by XRD and SAXS. The SSEC78 powder and the commercially...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Davis, W. Jr.; West, G.A.; Stacy, R.G.
1979-03-22
Sieve fractionation was performed with oxide particles dislodged during shearing of unirradiated or irradiated fuel bundles or single rods of UO/sub 2/ or 96 to 97% ThO/sub 2/--3 to 4% UO/sub 2/. Analyses of these data by nonlinear least-squares techniques demonstrated that the particle size distribution is lognormal. Variables involved in the numerical analyses include lognormal median size, lognormal standard deviation, and shear cut length. Sieve-fractionation data are presented for unirradiated bundles of stainless-steel-clad or Zircaloy-2-clad UO/sub 2/ or ThO/sub 2/--UO/sub 2/ sheared into lengths from 0.5 to 2.0 in. Data are also presented for irradiated single rods (sheared into lengths of 0.25 to 2.0 in.) of Zircaloy-2-clad UO/sub 2/ from BWRs and of Zircaloy-4-clad UO/sub 2/ from PWRs. Median particle sizes of UO/sub 2/ from shearing irradiated stainless-steel-clad fuel ranged from 103 to 182 ..mu..m; particle sizes of ThO/sub 2/--UO/sub 2/, under these same conditions, ranged from 137 to 202 ..mu..m. Similarly, median particle sizes of UO/sub 2/ from shearing unirradiated Zircaloy-2-clad fuel ranged from 230 to 957 ..mu..m. Irradiation levels of fuels from reactors ranged from 9,000 to 28,000 MWd/MTU. In general, particle sizes from shearing these irradiated fuels are larger than those from the unirradiated fuels; however, unirradiated fuel from vendors was not available for performing comparative shearing experiments. In addition, variations in particle size parameters pertaining to samples of a single vendor varied as much as those between different vendors. The fraction of fuel dislodged from the cladding is nearly proportional to the reciprocal of the shear cut length, until the cut length attains some minimum value below which all fuel is dislodged. Particles of fuel are generally elongated with a long-to-short axis ratio usually less than 3. Using parameters of the lognormal distribution estimates can be made of fractions of dislodged fuel having
Ponomarev, A. L.; Brenner, D.; Hlatky, L. R.; Sachs, R. K.
2000-01-01
DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) produced by densely ionizing radiation are not located randomly in the genome: recent data indicate DSB clustering along chromosomes. Stochastic DSB clustering at large scales, from > 100 Mbp down to simulations and analytic equations. A random-walk, coarse-grained polymer model for chromatin is combined with a simple track structure model in Monte Carlo software called DNAbreak and is applied to data on alpha-particle irradiation of V-79 cells. The chromatin model neglects molecular details but systematically incorporates an increase in average spatial separation between two DNA loci as the number of base-pairs between the loci increases. Fragment-size distributions obtained using DNAbreak match data on large fragments about as well as distributions previously obtained with a less mechanistic approach. Dose-response relations, linear at small doses of high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation, are obtained. They are found to be non-linear when the dose becomes so large that there is a significant probability of overlapping or close juxtaposition, along one chromosome, for different DSB clusters from different tracks. The non-linearity is more evident for large fragments than for small. The DNAbreak results furnish an example of the RLC (randomly located clusters) analytic formalism, which generalizes the broken-stick fragment-size distribution of the random-breakage model that is often applied to low-LET data.
Molecular Isotopic Distribution Analysis (MIDAs) with adjustable mass accuracy.
Alves, Gelio; Ogurtsov, Aleksey Y; Yu, Yi-Kuo
2014-01-01
In this paper, we present Molecular Isotopic Distribution Analysis (MIDAs), a new software tool designed to compute molecular isotopic distributions with adjustable accuracies. MIDAs offers two algorithms, one polynomial-based and one Fourier-transform-based, both of which compute molecular isotopic distributions accurately and efficiently. The polynomial-based algorithm contains few novel aspects, whereas the Fourier-transform-based algorithm consists mainly of improvements to other existing Fourier-transform-based algorithms. We have benchmarked the performance of the two algorithms implemented in MIDAs with that of eight software packages (BRAIN, Emass, Mercury, Mercury5, NeutronCluster, Qmass, JFC, IC) using a consensus set of benchmark molecules. Under the proposed evaluation criteria, MIDAs's algorithms, JFC, and Emass compute with comparable accuracy the coarse-grained (low-resolution) isotopic distributions and are more accurate than the other software packages. For fine-grained isotopic distributions, we compared IC, MIDAs's polynomial algorithm, and MIDAs's Fourier transform algorithm. Among the three, IC and MIDAs's polynomial algorithm compute isotopic distributions that better resemble their corresponding exact fine-grained (high-resolution) isotopic distributions. MIDAs can be accessed freely through a user-friendly web-interface at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CBBresearch/Yu/midas/index.html.
Molecular weight distribution of Athabasca bitumen
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Champagne, P J; Manolakis, E; Ternan, M
1985-03-01
A sample of whole Athabasca bitumen has been fractionated by preparative g.p.c. The weights of the fractions have been determined and their molecular weights measured by several methods. In contras to previously published data, consistent results were obtained using different solvents (THF, benzene/water) and using different techniques (v.p.o., f.p.d. and g.c.-m.s.). This has resulted in a accurate definition of the molecular weight distribution of Athabasca bitumen.
Li, Qifan; Chen, Yajie; Harris, Vincent G.
2018-05-01
This letter reports an extended effective medium theory (EMT) including particle-size distribution functions to maximize the magnetic properties of magneto-dielectric composites. It is experimentally verified by Co-Ti substituted barium ferrite (BaCoxTixFe12-2xO19)/wax composites with specifically designed particle-size distributions. In the form of an integral equation, the extended EMT formula essentially takes the size-dependent parameters of magnetic particle fillers into account. It predicts the effective permeability of magneto-dielectric composites with various particle-size distributions, indicating an optimal distribution for a population of magnetic particles. The improvement of the optimized effective permeability is significant concerning magnetic particles whose properties are strongly size dependent.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhao, Z.M.; Hul'ko, O.; Kim, H.J.; Liu, J.; Shi, B.; Xie, Y.H.
2005-01-01
InAs self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) were grown on Si (001) substrates via molecular beam epitaxy. The size distribution and density of InAs QDs grown under different conditions were studied using plan-view transmission electron microscopy. Dot density was shown to strongly depend on arsenic beam equivalent pressure (BEP) ranging from 2.8x10 -5 to 1.2x10 -3 Pa. In contrast, dot density was nearly independent of substrate temperature from 295 to 410 deg. C under constant arsenic BEP, while broadening of size distribution was observed with increasing temperature. The mechanism accounting for some of the main features of the experimental observations is discussed. Finally, InAs quantum dots with optimized narrow size distribution and high density were grown at low arsenic BEP of 7.2 x10 -5 Pa and low temperature of 250 deg. C followed by annealing at arsenic BEP of 1.9 x10 -4 Pa and temperature of 410 deg. C
Juvenile Penaeid Shrimp Density, Spatial Distribution and Size ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
The effects of habitat characteristics (mangrove creek, sandflat, mudflat and seagrass meadow) water salinity, temperature, and depth on the density, spatial distribution and size distribution of juveniles of five commercially important penaied shrimp species (Metapenaus monoceros, M. stebbingi, Fenneropenaeus indicus, ...
Barrera-Redondo, Josué; Ramírez-Barahona, Santiago; Eguiarte, Luis E
2018-05-01
Variation in rates of molecular evolution (heterotachy) is a common phenomenon among plants. Although multiple theoretical models have been proposed, fundamental questions remain regarding the combined effects of ecological and morphological traits on rate heterogeneity. Here, we used tree ferns to explore the correlation between rates of molecular evolution in chloroplast DNA sequences and several morphological and environmental factors within a Bayesian framework. We revealed direct and indirect effects of body size, biological productivity, and temperature on substitution rates, where smaller tree ferns living in warmer and less productive environments tend to have faster rates of molecular evolution. In addition, we found that variation in the ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitution rates (dN/dS) in the chloroplast rbcL gene was significantly correlated with ecological and morphological variables. Heterotachy in tree ferns may be influenced by effective population size associated with variation in body size and productivity. Macroevolutionary hypotheses should go beyond explaining heterotachy in terms of mutation rates and instead, should integrate population-level factors to better understand the processes affecting the tempo of evolution at the molecular level. © 2018 The Author(s). Evolution © 2018 The Society for the Study of Evolution.
Observation of propane cluster size distributions during nucleation and growth in a Laval expansion
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ferreiro, Jorge J.; Chakrabarty, Satrajit; Schläppi, Bernhard; Signorell, Ruth [Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog Weg 2, CH-8093 Zürich (Switzerland)
2016-12-07
We report on molecular-level studies of the condensation of propane gas and propane/ethane gas mixtures in the uniform (constant pressure and temperature) postnozzle flow of Laval expansions using soft single-photon ionization by vacuum ultraviolet light and mass spectrometric detection. The whole process, from the nucleation to the growth to molecular aggregates of sizes of several nanometers (∼5 nm), can be monitored at the molecular level with high time-resolution (∼3 μs) for a broad range of pressures and temperatures. For each time, pressure, and temperature, a whole mass spectrum is recorded, which allows one to determine the critical cluster size range for nucleation as well as the kinetics and mechanisms of cluster-size specific growth. The detailed information about the size, composition, and population of individual molecular clusters upon condensation provides unique experimental data for comparison with future molecular-level simulations.
Kumar, Pawan; Kumar, Sushil; Yadav, Sudesh
2018-02-01
Size distribution, water-soluble inorganic ions (WSII), and organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in size-segregated aerosols were investigated during a year-long sampling in 2010 over New Delhi. Among different size fractions of PM 10 , PM 0.95 was the dominant fraction (45%) followed by PM 3-7.2 (20%), PM 7.2-10 (15%), PM 0.95-1.5 (10%), and PM 1.5-3 (10%). All size fractions exceeded the ambient air quality standards of India for PM 2.5 . Annual average mass size distributions of ions were specific to size and ion(s); Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , K + , NO 3 - , and Cl - followed bimodal distribution while SO 4 2- and NH 4 + ions showed one mode in PM 0.95 . The concentrations of secondary WSII (NO 3 - , SO 4 2- , and NH 4 + ) increased in winters due to closed and moist atmosphere whereas open atmospheric conditions in summers lead to dispersal of pollutants. NH 4 + and Ca 2+ were dominant neutralization ions but in different size fractions. The summer-time dust transport from upwind region by S SW winds resulted in significantly high concentrations of PM 0.95 and PM 3-7.2 and PM 7.2-10 . This indicted influence of dust generation in Thar Desert and its transport is size selective in nature in downwind direction. The mixing of different sources (geogenic, coal combustions, biomass burning, plastic burning, incinerators, and vehicular emissions sources) for soluble ions in different size fractions was noticed in principle component analysis. Total carbon (TC = EC + OC) constituted 8-31% of the total PM 0.95 mass, and OC dominated over EC. Among EC, char (EC1) dominated over soot (EC2 + EC3). High SOC contribution (82%) to OC and OC/EC ratio of 2.7 suggested possible role of mineral dust and high photochemical activity in SOC production. Mass concentrations of aerosols and WSII and their contributions to each size fraction of PM 10 are governed by nature of sources, emission strength of source(s), and seasonality in meteorological parameters.
Recent developments in the Dutch firm-size distribution
M.A. Carree (Martin); A.R. Thurik (Roy)
1991-01-01
textabstractThis study investigates the development of the firm-size distribution in the Netherlands using various measures. Data are used for the period 1978 through 1989 covering practically the entire Dutch private sector. The results show a general tendency towards smaller firm sizes in
How the Assumed Size Distribution of Dust Minerals Affects the Predicted Ice Forming Nuclei
Perlwitz, Jan P.; Fridlind, Ann M.; Garcia-Pando, Carlos Perez; Miller, Ron L.; Knopf, Daniel A.
2015-01-01
The formation of ice in clouds depends on the availability of ice forming nuclei (IFN). Dust aerosol particles are considered the most important source of IFN at a global scale. Recent laboratory studies have demonstrated that the mineral feldspar provides the most efficient dust IFN for immersion freezing and together with kaolinite for deposition ice nucleation, and that the phyllosilicates illite and montmorillonite (a member of the smectite group) are of secondary importance.A few studies have applied global models that simulate mineral specific dust to predict the number and geographical distribution of IFN. These studies have been based on the simple assumption that the mineral composition of soil as provided in data sets from the literature translates directly into the mineral composition of the dust aerosols. However, these tables are based on measurements of wet-sieved soil where dust aggregates are destroyed to a large degree. In consequence, the size distribution of dust is shifted to smaller sizes, and phyllosilicates like illite, kaolinite, and smectite are only found in the size range 2 m. In contrast, in measurements of the mineral composition of dust aerosols, the largest mass fraction of these phyllosilicates is found in the size range 2 m as part of dust aggregates. Conversely, the mass fraction of feldspar is smaller in this size range, varying with the geographical location. This may have a significant effect on the predicted IFN number and its geographical distribution.An improved mineral specific dust aerosol module has been recently implemented in the NASA GISS Earth System ModelE2. The dust module takes into consideration the disaggregated state of wet-sieved soil, on which the tables of soil mineral fractions are based. To simulate the atmospheric cycle of the minerals, the mass size distribution of each mineral in aggregates that are emitted from undispersed parent soil is reconstructed. In the current study, we test the null
NON-COHESIVE SOILS’ COMPRESSIBILITY AND UNEVEN GRAIN-SIZE DISTRIBUTION RELATION
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Anatoliy Mirnyy
2016-03-01
Full Text Available This paper presents the results of laboratory investigation of soil compression phases with consideration of various granulometric composition. Materials and Methods Experimental soil box with microscale video recording for compression phases studies is described. Photo and video materials showing the differences of microscale particle movements were obtained for non-cohesive soils with different grain-size distribution. Results The analysis of the compression tests results and elastic and plastic deformations separation allows identifying each compression phase. It is shown, that soil density is correlating with deformability parameters only for the same grain-size distribution. Basing on the test results the authors suggest that compaction ratio is not sufficient for deformability estimating without grain-size distribution taken into account. Discussion and Conclusions Considering grain-size distribution allows refining technological requirements for artificial soil structures, backfills, and sand beds. Further studies could be used for developing standard documents, SP45.13330.2012 in particular.
Size distribution of BaF2 nanocrystallites in transparent glass ceramics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bocker, Christian; Bhattacharyya, Somnath; Hoeche, Thomas; Ruessel, Christian
2009-01-01
In glasses with the composition 1.9 Na 2 O-15 K 2 O-7.5 Al 2 O 3 -69.6 SiO 2 -6 BaF 2 (in mol.%), BaF 2 nanocrystalline precipitates are formed upon heat treatment. Using dark-field and bright-field transmission electron micrographs, crystallite size distributions are obtained for samples crystallized at various temperatures. According to the 'tomato-salad problem', the size distributions are corrected and then compared to various theories of grain growth taking into account coarsening of the crystallites during heat treatment. The experimental crystallite size distributions show for smaller mean crystallite sizes a more symmetric shape in comparison to the theories of Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner (LSW) or Brailsford and Wynblatt (B and W). With increasing mean crystallite sizes to about 18 nm at higher heat-treatment temperatures, the full width at half maximum of the observed distributions decreases and becomes even narrower than the LSW function. These findings indicate that in the investigated nano glass ceramics no coarsening by Ostwald ripening or coalescence occurs. This is explained by the formation of a diffusion barrier around each nanocrystallite which limits the size of the crystallites and hence results in such a narrow and uniform crystallite size distribution.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Viskari, T.
2012-07-01
Atmospheric aerosol particles have several important effects on the environment and human society. The exact impact of aerosol particles is largely determined by their particle size distributions. However, no single instrument is able to measure the whole range of the particle size distribution. Estimating a particle size distribution from multiple simultaneous measurements remains a challenge in aerosol physical research. Current methods to combine different measurements require assumptions concerning the overlapping measurement ranges and have difficulties in accounting for measurement uncertainties. In this thesis, Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is presented as a promising method to estimate particle number size distributions from multiple simultaneous measurements. The particle number size distribution estimated by EKF includes information from prior particle number size distributions as propagated by a dynamical model and is based on the reliabilities of the applied information sources. Known physical processes and dynamically evolving error covariances constrain the estimate both over time and particle size. The method was tested with measurements from Differential Mobility Particle Sizer (DMPS), Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS) and nephelometer. The particle number concentration was chosen as the state of interest. The initial EKF implementation presented here includes simplifications, yet the results are positive and the estimate successfully incorporated information from the chosen instruments. For particle sizes smaller than 4 micrometers, the estimate fits the available measurements and smooths the particle number size distribution over both time and particle diameter. The estimate has difficulties with particles larger than 4 micrometers due to issues with both measurements and the dynamical model in that particle size range. The EKF implementation appears to reduce the impact of measurement noise on the estimate, but has a delayed reaction to sudden
Characterizing property distributions of polymeric nanogels by size-exclusion chromatography.
Mourey, Thomas H; Leon, Jeffrey W; Bennett, James R; Bryan, Trevor G; Slater, Lisa A; Balke, Stephen T
2007-03-30
Nanogels are highly branched, swellable polymer structures with average diameters between 1 and 100nm. Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) fractionates materials in this size range, and it is commonly used to measure nanogel molar mass distributions. For many nanogel applications, it may be more important to calculate the particle size distribution from the SEC data than it is to calculate the molar mass distribution. Other useful nanogel property distributions include particle shape, area, and volume, as well as polymer volume fraction per particle. All can be obtained from multi-detector SEC data with proper calibration and data analysis methods. This work develops the basic equations for calculating several of these differential and cumulative property distributions and applies them to SEC data from the analysis of polymeric nanogels. The methods are analogous to those used to calculate the more familiar SEC molar mass distributions. Calibration methods and characteristics of the distributions are discussed, and the effects of detector noise and mismatched concentration and molar mass sensitive detector signals are examined.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ma Bin; Chen Huaihai; Xu Minmin; Hayat, Tahir; He Yan; Xu Jianming
2010-01-01
Rhizoremediation is a significant form of bioremediation for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This study examined the role of molecular structure in determining the rhizosphere effect on PAHs dissipation. Effect size in meta-analysis was employed as activity dataset for building quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models and accumulative effect sizes of 16 PAHs were used for validation of these models. Based on the genetic algorithm combined with partial least square regression, models for comprehensive dataset, Poaceae dataset, and Fabaceae dataset were built. The results showed that information indices, calculated as information content of molecules based on the calculation of equivalence classes from the molecular graph, were the most important molecular structural indices for QSAR models of rhizosphere effect on PAHs dissipation. The QSAR model, based on the molecular structure indices and effect size, has potential to be used in studying and predicting the rhizosphere effect of PAHs dissipation. - Effect size based on meta-analysis was used for building PAHs dissipation quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ma Bin; Chen Huaihai; Xu Minmin; Hayat, Tahir [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Subtropical Soil and Plant Nutrition, College of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029 (China); He Yan, E-mail: yhe2006@zju.edu.c [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Subtropical Soil and Plant Nutrition, College of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029 (China); Xu Jianming, E-mail: jmxu@zju.edu.c [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Subtropical Soil and Plant Nutrition, College of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029 (China)
2010-08-15
Rhizoremediation is a significant form of bioremediation for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This study examined the role of molecular structure in determining the rhizosphere effect on PAHs dissipation. Effect size in meta-analysis was employed as activity dataset for building quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models and accumulative effect sizes of 16 PAHs were used for validation of these models. Based on the genetic algorithm combined with partial least square regression, models for comprehensive dataset, Poaceae dataset, and Fabaceae dataset were built. The results showed that information indices, calculated as information content of molecules based on the calculation of equivalence classes from the molecular graph, were the most important molecular structural indices for QSAR models of rhizosphere effect on PAHs dissipation. The QSAR model, based on the molecular structure indices and effect size, has potential to be used in studying and predicting the rhizosphere effect of PAHs dissipation. - Effect size based on meta-analysis was used for building PAHs dissipation quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Babu, S. Suresh, E-mail: s_sureshbabu@vssc.gov.in [Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram 695022 (India); Kompalli, Sobhan Kumar [Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram 695022 (India); Moorthy, K. Krishna [Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012 (India)
2016-09-01
Number-size distribution is one of the important microphysical properties of atmospheric aerosols that influence aerosol life cycle, aerosol-radiation interaction as well as aerosol-cloud interactions. Making use of one-yearlong measurements of aerosol particle number-size distributions (PNSD) over a broad size spectrum (~ 15–15,000 nm) from a tropical coastal semi-urban location-Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), the size characteristics, their seasonality and response to mesoscale and synoptic scale meteorology are examined. While the accumulation mode contributed mostly to the annual mean concentration, ultrafine particles (having diameter < 100 nm) contributed as much as 45% to the total concentration, and thus constitute a strong reservoir, that would add to the larger particles through size transformation. The size distributions were, in general, bimodal with well-defined modes in the accumulation and coarse regimes, with mode diameters lying in the range 141 to 167 nm and 1150 to 1760 nm respectively, in different seasons. Despite the contribution of the coarse sized particles to the total number concentration being meager, they contributed significantly to the surface area and volume, especially during transport of marine air mass highlighting the role of synoptic air mass changes. Significant diurnal variation occurred in the number concentrations, geometric mean diameters, which is mostly attributed to the dynamics of the local coastal atmospheric boundary layer and the effect of mesoscale land/sea breeze circulation. Bursts of ultrafine particles (UFP) occurred quite frequently, apparently during periods of land-sea breeze transitions, caused by the strong mixing of precursor-rich urban air mass with the cleaner marine air mass; the resulting turbulence along with boundary layer dynamics aiding the nucleation. These ex-situ particles were observed at the surface due to the transport associated with boundary layer dynamics. The particle growth rates from
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Babu, S. Suresh; Kompalli, Sobhan Kumar; Moorthy, K. Krishna
2016-01-01
Number-size distribution is one of the important microphysical properties of atmospheric aerosols that influence aerosol life cycle, aerosol-radiation interaction as well as aerosol-cloud interactions. Making use of one-yearlong measurements of aerosol particle number-size distributions (PNSD) over a broad size spectrum (~ 15–15,000 nm) from a tropical coastal semi-urban location-Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), the size characteristics, their seasonality and response to mesoscale and synoptic scale meteorology are examined. While the accumulation mode contributed mostly to the annual mean concentration, ultrafine particles (having diameter < 100 nm) contributed as much as 45% to the total concentration, and thus constitute a strong reservoir, that would add to the larger particles through size transformation. The size distributions were, in general, bimodal with well-defined modes in the accumulation and coarse regimes, with mode diameters lying in the range 141 to 167 nm and 1150 to 1760 nm respectively, in different seasons. Despite the contribution of the coarse sized particles to the total number concentration being meager, they contributed significantly to the surface area and volume, especially during transport of marine air mass highlighting the role of synoptic air mass changes. Significant diurnal variation occurred in the number concentrations, geometric mean diameters, which is mostly attributed to the dynamics of the local coastal atmospheric boundary layer and the effect of mesoscale land/sea breeze circulation. Bursts of ultrafine particles (UFP) occurred quite frequently, apparently during periods of land-sea breeze transitions, caused by the strong mixing of precursor-rich urban air mass with the cleaner marine air mass; the resulting turbulence along with boundary layer dynamics aiding the nucleation. These ex-situ particles were observed at the surface due to the transport associated with boundary layer dynamics. The particle growth rates from
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Leonilde Roselli
Full Text Available Understanding the mechanisms of phytoplankton community assembly is a fundamental issue of aquatic ecology. Here, we use field data from transitional (e.g. coastal lagoons and coastal water environments to decode patterns of phytoplankton size distribution into organization and adaptive mechanisms. Transitional waters are characterized by higher resource availability and shallower well-mixed water column than coastal marine environments. Differences in physico-chemical regime between the two environments have been hypothesized to exert contrasting selective pressures on phytoplankton cell morphology (size and shape. We tested the hypothesis focusing on resource availability (nutrients and light and mixed layer depth as ecological axes that define ecological niches of phytoplankton. We report fundamental differences in size distributions of marine and freshwater diatoms, with transitional water phytoplankton significantly smaller and with higher surface to volume ratio than marine species. Here, we hypothesize that mixing condition affecting size-dependent sinking may drive phytoplankton size and shape distributions. The interplay between shallow mixed layer depth and frequent and complete mixing of transitional waters may likely increase the competitive advantage of small phytoplankton limiting large cell fitness. The nutrient regime appears to explain the size distribution within both marine and transitional water environments, while it seem does not explain the pattern observed across the two environments. In addition, difference in light availability across the two environments appear do not explain the occurrence of asymmetric size distribution at each hierarchical level. We hypothesize that such competitive equilibria and adaptive strategies in resource exploitation may drive by organism's behavior which exploring patch resources in transitional and marine phytoplankton communities.
Biomimetic supercontainers for size-selective electrochemical sensing of molecular ions
Netzer, Nathan L.; Must, Indrek; Qiao, Yupu; Zhang, Shi-Li; Wang, Zhenqiang; Zhang, Zhen
2017-04-01
New ionophores are essential for advancing the art of selective ion sensing. Metal-organic supercontainers (MOSCs), a new family of biomimetic coordination capsules designed using sulfonylcalix[4]arenes as container precursors, are known for their tunable molecular recognition capabilities towards an array of guests. Herein, we demonstrate the use of MOSCs as a new class of size-selective ionophores dedicated to electrochemical sensing of molecular ions. Specifically, a MOSC molecule with its cavities matching the size of methylene blue (MB+), a versatile organic molecule used for bio-recognition, was incorporated into a polymeric mixed-matrix membrane and used as an ion-selective electrode. This MOSC-incorporated electrode showed a near-Nernstian potentiometric response to MB+ in the nano- to micro-molar range. The exceptional size-selectivity was also evident through contrast studies. To demonstrate the practical utility of our approach, a simulated wastewater experiment was conducted using water from the Fyris River (Sweden). It not only showed a near-Nernstian response to MB+ but also revealed a possible method for potentiometric titration of the redox indicator. Our study thus represents a new paradigm for the rational design of ionophores that can rapidly and precisely monitor molecular ions relevant to environmental, biomedical, and other related areas.
Molecular weight and its distribution of tetrafluoroethylene and propylene copolymer
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Watanabe, Hiromasa; Okamoto, Jiro; Yamaguchi, Koichi.
1978-04-01
In comparison of molecular structure of tetrafluoroethylene and propylene copolymer produced by radiation and chemical initiators respectively, both were fractionated by elution method and fine structure was examined. For the fractionated sample by radiation, the relation between molecular weight anti Mn and intrinsic viscosity ( eta] is ( eta] = 3.97 x 10 -4 anti Mnsup(0.630) The result is not in agreement with that of the unfractionated sample by radiation, and similar to those of samples by chemical initiators. There is no difference, however, in the elution method of GPC between both these copolymers; the elution behavior agrees with that of standard polystyrene. Long chain branching thus exists little in the copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and propylene. To reveal the relations between reaction conditions and molecular weight and its distribution of the copolymer produced by flow apparatus, the molecular weight distribution was measured by GPC. The method of analysis could evaluate molecular weight distribution changing constantly. (auth.)
Estimation of particle size distribution of nanoparticles from electrical ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
2018-02-02
Feb 2, 2018 ... An indirect method of estimation of size distribution of nanoparticles in a nanocomposite is ... The present approach exploits DC electrical current–voltage ... the sizes of nanoparticles (NPs) by electrical characterization.
Pareto Distribution of Firm Size and Knowledge Spillover Process as a Network
Tomohiko Konno
2013-01-01
The firm size distribution is considered as Pareto distribution. In the present paper, we show that the Pareto distribution of firm size results from the spillover network model which was introduced in Konno (2010).
Particle number size distributions in urban air before and after volatilisation
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
W. Birmili
2010-05-01
be determined as a function of particle size. The results indicated that particles >60 nm contain a significantly higher fraction of non-volatile compounds, most likely black carbon, than particles <60 nm. The results are relevant for future health-related studies in that they explore the size distribution and time-dependent behaviour of the refractory component of the urban aerosol over an extended time period.
Significance assessment of small-medium sized reactors
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kanno, Minoru [Japan Atomic Power Co., Research and Development Dept., Tokyo (Japan)
2002-12-01
Preliminary assessment for deployment of small-medium sized reactor (S and M reactor) as a future option has been conducted at the JAPCO (Japan Atomic Power Company) under the cooperation with the CRIERI (Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry). Significance of the S and M reactor introduction is listed as follows; lower investment cost, possible siting near demand side, enlarged freedom of siting, shorter transmission line, good compatibility with slow increase of demand and plain explanation of safety using simpler system such as integral type vessel without piping, natural convection core cooling and passive safety system. The deployment of simpler plant system, modular shop fabrication, ship-shell structured building and longer operation period can assure economics comparable with that of a large sized reactor, coping with scale-demerit. Also the S and M reactor is preferable in size for the nuclear heat utilization such as hydrogen production. (T. Tanaka)
Measurement of size distribution for 220Rn progeny attached aerosols
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhang Lei; Guo Qiuju; Zhuo Weihai
2008-01-01
The size distribution of radioactive aerosols is a very important factor for evaluating the inner exposure dose contributed by radon and thoron progeny in environments. In order to measure the size distribution of thoron progeny attached radioactive aerosols, a device was developed using wire screens. The count median diameter (CMD) and the geometric standard deviation (GSD) of attached radioactive aerosols were calculated by collecting ThB and using CR-39 as detector. Field measurement results at Yangjiang City in Guangdong Province show that the CMDs distribute between 30 and 130 nm, and the GSDs are between 1.9 and 3.3. It also shows that the more humid country, the smaller CMDs, and the ventilation has great influence on the size distribution of aerosols. The CMDs of adobe house are smaller than that of the concrete houses. (authors)
Particle-size distribution study: PILEDRIVER event
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Rabb, David D [Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, University of California, Livermore, CA (United States)
1970-05-15
Reentry was made by mining into the chimney of broken rock created by a nuclear detonation in granite at a depth of 1500 feet. The chimney was 160 ft in radius and 890 ft high. An injection of radioactive melt was encountered at 300 ft from shot point. Radiochemical analyses determined that the yield of PILEDRIVER nuclear device was 61 {+-} 10 kt. Two samples of chimney rubble totalling over 5,000 lb were obtained during the postshot exploration. These samples of broken granite underwent screen analysis, a radioactivity-distribution study, and cursory leaching tests. The two samples were separated into 25 different size-fractions. An average of the particle-size data from the two samples showed that 17% of the material is between 20 mesh and I in.; 42% between 1 and 6 in.; and 34% between 6 in. and 3 ft. The distribution of radioactivity varies markedly with the particle size. The minus 100-mesh material comprizes less than 1.5% of the weight but contains almost 20% of the radioactivity. Small-scale batch-leaching tests showed that 25% of the radioactivity could be removed in a few hours by a film-percolation leach with distilled water, and 40% with dilute acid. Brief studies were made of the microfractures in the broken rock and of the radioactivity created by the PILEDRIVER explosion. (author)
Particle-size distribution study: PILEDRIVER event
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Rabb, David D.
1970-01-01
Reentry was made by mining into the chimney of broken rock created by a nuclear detonation in granite at a depth of 1500 feet. The chimney was 160 ft in radius and 890 ft high. An injection of radioactive melt was encountered at 300 ft from shot point. Radiochemical analyses determined that the yield of PILEDRIVER nuclear device was 61 ± 10 kt. Two samples of chimney rubble totalling over 5,000 lb were obtained during the postshot exploration. These samples of broken granite underwent screen analysis, a radioactivity-distribution study, and cursory leaching tests. The two samples were separated into 25 different size-fractions. An average of the particle-size data from the two samples showed that 17% of the material is between 20 mesh and I in.; 42% between 1 and 6 in.; and 34% between 6 in. and 3 ft. The distribution of radioactivity varies markedly with the particle size. The minus 100-mesh material comprizes less than 1.5% of the weight but contains almost 20% of the radioactivity. Small-scale batch-leaching tests showed that 25% of the radioactivity could be removed in a few hours by a film-percolation leach with distilled water, and 40% with dilute acid. Brief studies were made of the microfractures in the broken rock and of the radioactivity created by the PILEDRIVER explosion. (author)
Self-similar drop-size distributions produced by breakup in chaotic flows
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Muzzio, F.J.; Tjahjadi, M.; Ottino, J.M.; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003; Department of Chemical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208)
1991-01-01
Deformation and breakup of immiscible fluids in deterministic chaotic flows is governed by self-similar distributions of stretching histories and stretching rates and produces populations of droplets of widely distributed sizes. Scaling reveals that distributions of drop sizes collapse into two self-similar families; each family exhibits a different shape, presumably due to changes in the breakup mechanism
Diversification Rates and the Evolution of Species Range Size Frequency Distribution
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Silvia Castiglione
2017-11-01
Full Text Available The geographic range sizes frequency distribution (RFD within clades is typically right-skewed with untransformed data, and bell-shaped or slightly left-skewed under the log-transformation. This means that most species within clades occupy diminutive ranges, whereas just a few species are truly widespread. A number of ecological and evolutionary explanations have been proposed to account for this pattern. Among the latter, much attention has been given to the issue of how extinction and speciation probabilities influence RFD. Numerous accounts now convincingly demonstrate that extinction rate decreases with range size, both in living and extinct taxa. The relationship between range size and speciation rate, though, is much less obvious, with either small or large ranged species being proposed to originate more daughter taxa. Herein, we used a large fossil database including 21 animal clades and more than 80,000 fossil occurrences distributed over more than 400 million years of marine metazoans (exclusive of vertebrates evolution, to test the relationship between extinction rate, speciation rate, and range size. As expected, we found that extinction rate almost linearly decreases with range size. In contrast, speciation rate peaks at the large (but not the largest end of the range size spectrum. This is consistent with the peripheral isolation mode of allopatric speciation being the main mechanism of species origination. The huge variation in phylogeny, fossilization potential, time of fossilization, and the overarching effect of mass extinctions suggest caution must be posed at generalizing our results, as individual clades may deviate significantly from the general pattern.
The Sea-Ice Floe Size Distribution
Stern, H. L., III; Schweiger, A. J. B.; Zhang, J.; Steele, M.
2017-12-01
The size distribution of ice floes in the polar seas affects the dynamics and thermodynamics of the ice cover and its interaction with the ocean and atmosphere. Ice-ocean models are now beginning to include the floe size distribution (FSD) in their simulations. In order to characterize seasonal changes of the FSD and provide validation data for our ice-ocean model, we calculated the FSD in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas over two spring-summer-fall seasons (2013 and 2014) using more than 250 cloud-free visible-band scenes from the MODIS sensors on NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites, identifying nearly 250,000 ice floes between 2 and 30 km in diameter. We found that the FSD follows a power-law distribution at all locations, with a seasonally varying exponent that reflects floe break-up in spring, loss of smaller floes in summer, and the return of larger floes after fall freeze-up. We extended the results to floe sizes from 10 m to 2 km at selected time/space locations using more than 50 high-resolution radar and visible-band satellite images. Our analysis used more data and applied greater statistical rigor than any previous study of the FSD. The incorporation of the FSD into our ice-ocean model resulted in reduced sea-ice thickness, mainly in the marginal ice zone, which improved the simulation of sea-ice extent and yielded an earlier ice retreat. We also examined results from 17 previous studies of the FSD, most of which report power-law FSDs but with widely varying exponents. It is difficult to reconcile the range of results due to different study areas, seasons, and methods of analysis. We review the power-law representation of the FSD in these studies and discuss some mathematical details that are important to consider in any future analysis.
A multivariate rank test for comparing mass size distributions
Lombard, F.; Potgieter, C. J.
2012-01-01
Particle size analyses of a raw material are commonplace in the mineral processing industry. Knowledge of particle size distributions is crucial in planning milling operations to enable an optimum degree of liberation of valuable mineral phases
Cometary dust size distributions from flyby spacecraft
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Divine, N.
1988-01-01
Pior to the Halley flybys in 1986, the distribution of cometary dust grains with particle size were approximated using models which provided reasonable fits to the dynamics of dust tails, anti-tails, and infrared spectra. These distributions have since been improved using fluence data (i.e., particle fluxes integrated over time along the flyby trajectory) from three spacecraft. The fluence derived distributions are appropriate for comparison with simultaneous infrared photometry (from Earth) because they sample the particles in the same way as the IR data do (along the line of sight) and because they are directly proportional to the concentration distribution in that region of the coma which dominates the IR emission
Deng, Lu; Du, Jincheng
2018-01-14
Borosilicate glasses form an important glass forming system in both glass science and technologies. The structure and property changes of borosilicate glasses as a function of thermal history in terms of cooling rate during glass formation and simulation system sizes used in classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulation were investigated with recently developed composition dependent partial charge potentials. Short and medium range structural features such as boron coordination, Si and B Q n distributions, and ring size distributions were analyzed to elucidate the effects of cooling rate and simulation system size on these structure features and selected glass properties such as glass transition temperature, vibration density of states, and mechanical properties. Neutron structure factors, neutron broadened pair distribution functions, and vibrational density of states were calculated and compared with results from experiments as well as ab initio calculations to validate the structure models. The results clearly indicate that both cooling rate and system size play an important role on the structures of these glasses, mainly by affecting the 3 B and 4 B distributions and consequently properties of the glasses. It was also found that different structure features and properties converge at different sizes or cooling rates; thus convergence tests are needed in simulations of the borosilicate glasses depending on the targeted properties. The results also shed light on the complex thermal history dependence on structure and properties in borosilicate glasses and the protocols in MD simulations of these and other glass materials.
Deng, Lu; Du, Jincheng
2018-01-01
Borosilicate glasses form an important glass forming system in both glass science and technologies. The structure and property changes of borosilicate glasses as a function of thermal history in terms of cooling rate during glass formation and simulation system sizes used in classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulation were investigated with recently developed composition dependent partial charge potentials. Short and medium range structural features such as boron coordination, Si and B Qn distributions, and ring size distributions were analyzed to elucidate the effects of cooling rate and simulation system size on these structure features and selected glass properties such as glass transition temperature, vibration density of states, and mechanical properties. Neutron structure factors, neutron broadened pair distribution functions, and vibrational density of states were calculated and compared with results from experiments as well as ab initio calculations to validate the structure models. The results clearly indicate that both cooling rate and system size play an important role on the structures of these glasses, mainly by affecting the 3B and 4B distributions and consequently properties of the glasses. It was also found that different structure features and properties converge at different sizes or cooling rates; thus convergence tests are needed in simulations of the borosilicate glasses depending on the targeted properties. The results also shed light on the complex thermal history dependence on structure and properties in borosilicate glasses and the protocols in MD simulations of these and other glass materials.
Dynamics of Rn-222 daughter size distribution evolution: modelling and experimental aspects
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tymen, G.; El Moussaoui, B.; Renoux, A.
1989-01-01
Size distribution of short lived radon daughters is considered as a fundamental parameter in radiation protection in so far as about 40% of human exposure is due to inhalation of such radioactive particles, in mines as well as in indoor environments. Many experiments have been carried out in various conditions: controlled atmospheres, uranium mine atmospheres, atmospheric air, and more recently in houses because of the increasing interest in exposure to natural radiation. From an experimental point of view, previous measurements dealt with the cumulative size distribution of radon progeny alpha activity. Then, in spite of the difficulty in comparing data of different investigators, it was often found that a significant part of the activity was associated with particles above 0.1 μm in diameter. Otherwise, a bimodality was often observed in the case of airborne radioactive particles. The attachment of small radioactive ions or atoms produced by the radon decay on ambient particles has been studied. Differences arise in the calculation of the attachment coefficient and in the choice of the natural particle size distribution. This paper presents our investigation in this field by studying the theoretical and experimental aspects of the radon daughter behaviour in a cylindrical vessel simultaneously. (author)
Measurement of the size distributions of radon progeny in indoor air
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hopke, P.K.; Ramamurthi, M.; Li, C.S.
1990-01-01
A major problem in evaluating the health risk posed by airborne radon progeny in indoor atmospheres is the lack of available information on the activity-weighted size distributions that occur in the domestic environment. With an automated, semicontinuous, graded screen array system, we made a series of measurements of activity-weighted size distributions in several houses in the northeastern United States. Measurements were made in an unoccupied house, in which human aerosol-generating activities were simulated. The time evolution of the aerosol size distribution was measured in each situation. Results of these measurements are presented
Simulation of the measure of the microparticle size distribution in two dimensions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lameiras, F.S.; Pinheiro, P.
1987-01-01
Different size distributions of plane figures were generated in a computer as a simply connected network. These size distributions were measured by the Saltykov method for two dimensions. The comparison between the generated and measured distributions showed that the Saltkov method tends to measure larger scattering than the real one and to move the maximum of the real distribution to larger diameters. These erros were determined by means of the ratio of the perimeter of the figures per unit area directly measured and the perimeter calculated from the size distribution obtained by using the SaltyKov method. (Author) [pt
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Michael Cusack
2013-02-01
Full Text Available This study focuses on the daily and seasonal variability of particle number size distributions and concentrations, performed at the Montseny (MSY regional background station in the western Mediterranean from October 2010 to June 2011. Particle number concentrations at MSY were shown to be within range of various other sites across Europe reported in literature, but the seasonality of the particle number size distributions revealed significant differences. The Aitken mode is the dominant particle mode at MSY, with arithmetic mean concentrations of 1698 cm3, followed by the accumulation mode (877 cm−3 and the nucleation mode (246 cm−3. Concentrations showed a strong seasonal variability with large increases in particle number concentrations observed from the colder to warmer months. The modality of median size distributions was typically bimodal, except under polluted conditions when the size distribution was unimodal. During the colder months, the daily variation of particle number size distributions are strongly influenced by a diurnal breeze system, whereby the Aitken and accumulation modes vary similarly to PM1 and BC mass concentrations, with nocturnal minima and sharp day-time increases owing to the development of a diurnal mountain breeze. Under clean air conditions, high levels of nucleation and lower Aitken mode concentrations were measured, highlighting the importance of new particle formation as a source of particles in the absence of a significant condensation sink. During the warmer months, nucleation mode concentrations were observed to be relatively elevated both under polluted and clean conditions due to increased photochemical reactions, with enhanced subsequent growth owing to elevated concentrations of condensable organic vapours produced from biogenic volatile organic compounds, indicating that nucleation at MSY does not exclusively occur under clean air conditions. Finally, mixing of air masses between polluted and non
Bimodal Nanoparticle Size Distributions Produced by Laser Ablation of Microparticles in Aerosols
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nichols, William T.; Malyavanatham, Gokul; Henneke, Dale E.; O'Brien, Daniel T.; Becker, Michael F.; Keto, John W.
2002-01-01
Silver nanoparticles were produced by laser ablation of a continuously flowing aerosol of microparticles in nitrogen at varying laser fluences. Transmission electron micrographs were analyzed to determine the effect of laser fluence on the nanoparticle size distribution. These distributions exhibited bimodality with a large number of particles in a mode at small sizes (3-6-nm) and a second, less populated mode at larger sizes (11-16-nm). Both modes shifted to larger sizes with increasing laser fluence, with the small size mode shifting by 35% and the larger size mode by 25% over a fluence range of 0.3-4.2-J/cm 2 . Size histograms for each mode were found to be well represented by log-normal distributions. The distribution of mass displayed a striking shift from the large to the small size mode with increasing laser fluence. These results are discussed in terms of a model of nanoparticle formation from two distinct laser-solid interactions. Initially, laser vaporization of material from the surface leads to condensation of nanoparticles in the ambient gas. Material evaporation occurs until the plasma breakdown threshold of the microparticles is reached, generating a shock wave that propagates through the remaining material. Rapid condensation of the vapor in the low-pressure region occurs behind the traveling shock wave. Measurement of particle size distributions versus gas pressure in the ablation region, as well as, versus microparticle feedstock size confirmed the assignment of the larger size mode to surface-vaporization and the smaller size mode to shock-formed nanoparticles
An Empirical Bayes Mixture Model for Effect Size Distributions in Genome-Wide Association Studies.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Wesley K Thompson
2015-12-01
Full Text Available Characterizing the distribution of effects from genome-wide genotyping data is crucial for understanding important aspects of the genetic architecture of complex traits, such as number or proportion of non-null loci, average proportion of phenotypic variance explained per non-null effect, power for discovery, and polygenic risk prediction. To this end, previous work has used effect-size models based on various distributions, including the normal and normal mixture distributions, among others. In this paper we propose a scale mixture of two normals model for effect size distributions of genome-wide association study (GWAS test statistics. Test statistics corresponding to null associations are modeled as random draws from a normal distribution with zero mean; test statistics corresponding to non-null associations are also modeled as normal with zero mean, but with larger variance. The model is fit via minimizing discrepancies between the parametric mixture model and resampling-based nonparametric estimates of replication effect sizes and variances. We describe in detail the implications of this model for estimation of the non-null proportion, the probability of replication in de novo samples, the local false discovery rate, and power for discovery of a specified proportion of phenotypic variance explained from additive effects of loci surpassing a given significance threshold. We also examine the crucial issue of the impact of linkage disequilibrium (LD on effect sizes and parameter estimates, both analytically and in simulations. We apply this approach to meta-analysis test statistics from two large GWAS, one for Crohn's disease (CD and the other for schizophrenia (SZ. A scale mixture of two normals distribution provides an excellent fit to the SZ nonparametric replication effect size estimates. While capturing the general behavior of the data, this mixture model underestimates the tails of the CD effect size distribution. We discuss the
An Empirical Bayes Mixture Model for Effect Size Distributions in Genome-Wide Association Studies.
Thompson, Wesley K; Wang, Yunpeng; Schork, Andrew J; Witoelar, Aree; Zuber, Verena; Xu, Shujing; Werge, Thomas; Holland, Dominic; Andreassen, Ole A; Dale, Anders M
2015-12-01
Characterizing the distribution of effects from genome-wide genotyping data is crucial for understanding important aspects of the genetic architecture of complex traits, such as number or proportion of non-null loci, average proportion of phenotypic variance explained per non-null effect, power for discovery, and polygenic risk prediction. To this end, previous work has used effect-size models based on various distributions, including the normal and normal mixture distributions, among others. In this paper we propose a scale mixture of two normals model for effect size distributions of genome-wide association study (GWAS) test statistics. Test statistics corresponding to null associations are modeled as random draws from a normal distribution with zero mean; test statistics corresponding to non-null associations are also modeled as normal with zero mean, but with larger variance. The model is fit via minimizing discrepancies between the parametric mixture model and resampling-based nonparametric estimates of replication effect sizes and variances. We describe in detail the implications of this model for estimation of the non-null proportion, the probability of replication in de novo samples, the local false discovery rate, and power for discovery of a specified proportion of phenotypic variance explained from additive effects of loci surpassing a given significance threshold. We also examine the crucial issue of the impact of linkage disequilibrium (LD) on effect sizes and parameter estimates, both analytically and in simulations. We apply this approach to meta-analysis test statistics from two large GWAS, one for Crohn's disease (CD) and the other for schizophrenia (SZ). A scale mixture of two normals distribution provides an excellent fit to the SZ nonparametric replication effect size estimates. While capturing the general behavior of the data, this mixture model underestimates the tails of the CD effect size distribution. We discuss the implications of
Austenite Grain Size Estimtion from Chord Lengths of Logarithmic-Normal Distribution
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Adrian H.
2017-12-01
Full Text Available Linear section of grains in polyhedral material microstructure is a system of chords. The mean length of chords is the linear grain size of the microstructure. For the prior austenite grains of low alloy structural steels, the chord length is a random variable of gamma- or logarithmic-normal distribution. The statistical grain size estimation belongs to the quantitative metallographic problems. The so-called point estimation is a well known procedure. The interval estimation (grain size confidence interval for the gamma distribution was given elsewhere, but for the logarithmic-normal distribution is the subject of the present contribution. The statistical analysis is analogous to the one for the gamma distribution.
Size distribution of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles using Warren-Averbach XRD analysis
Mahadevan, S.; Behera, S. P.; Gnanaprakash, G.; Jayakumar, T.; Philip, J.; Rao, B. P. C.
2012-07-01
We use the Fourier transform based Warren-Averbach (WA) analysis to separate the contributions of X-ray diffraction (XRD) profile broadening due to crystallite size and microstrain for magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The profile shape of the column length distribution, obtained from WA analysis, is used to analyze the shape of the magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. From the column length distribution, the crystallite size and its distribution are estimated for these nanoparticles which are compared with size distribution obtained from dynamic light scattering measurements. The crystallite size and size distribution of crystallites obtained from WA analysis are explained based on the experimental parameters employed in preparation of these magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The variation of volume weighted diameter (Dv, from WA analysis) with saturation magnetization (Ms) fits well to a core shell model wherein it is known that Ms=Mbulk(1-6g/Dv) with Mbulk as bulk magnetization of iron oxide and g as magnetic shell disorder thickness.
Fragment size distribution in viscous bag breakup of a drop
Kulkarni, Varun; Bulusu, Kartik V.; Plesniak, Michael W.; Sojka, Paul E.
2015-11-01
In this study we examine the drop size distribution resulting from the fragmentation of a single drop in the presence of a continuous air jet. Specifically, we study the effect of Weber number, We, and Ohnesorge number, Oh on the disintegration process. The regime of breakup considered is observed between 12 phase Doppler anemometry. Both the number and volume fragment size probability distributions are plotted. The volume probability distribution revealed a bi-modal behavior with two distinct peaks: one corresponding to the rim fragments and the other to the bag fragments. This behavior was suppressed in the number probability distribution. Additionally, we employ an in-house particle detection code to isolate the rim fragment size distribution from the total probability distributions. Our experiments showed that the bag fragments are smaller in diameter and larger in number, while the rim fragments are larger in diameter and smaller in number. Furthermore, with increasing We for a given Ohwe observe a large number of small-diameter drops and small number of large-diameter drops. On the other hand, with increasing Oh for a fixed We the opposite is seen.
Size Distribution Imaging by Non-Uniform Oscillating-Gradient Spin Echo (NOGSE MRI.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Noam Shemesh
Full Text Available Objects making up complex porous systems in Nature usually span a range of sizes. These size distributions play fundamental roles in defining the physicochemical, biophysical and physiological properties of a wide variety of systems - ranging from advanced catalytic materials to Central Nervous System diseases. Accurate and noninvasive measurements of size distributions in opaque, three-dimensional objects, have thus remained long-standing and important challenges. Herein we describe how a recently introduced diffusion-based magnetic resonance methodology, Non-Uniform-Oscillating-Gradient-Spin-Echo (NOGSE, can determine such distributions noninvasively. The method relies on its ability to probe confining lengths with a (length6 parametric sensitivity, in a constant-time, constant-number-of-gradients fashion; combined, these attributes provide sufficient sensitivity for characterizing the underlying distributions in μm-scaled cellular systems. Theoretical derivations and simulations are presented to verify NOGSE's ability to faithfully reconstruct size distributions through suitable modeling of their distribution parameters. Experiments in yeast cell suspensions - where the ground truth can be determined from ancillary microscopy - corroborate these trends experimentally. Finally, by appending to the NOGSE protocol an imaging acquisition, novel MRI maps of cellular size distributions were collected from a mouse brain. The ensuing micro-architectural contrasts successfully delineated distinctive hallmark anatomical sub-structures, in both white matter and gray matter tissues, in a non-invasive manner. Such findings highlight NOGSE's potential for characterizing aberrations in cellular size distributions upon disease, or during normal processes such as development.
Global patterns of city size distributions and their fundamental drivers.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ethan H Decker
2007-09-01
Full Text Available Urban areas and their voracious appetites are increasingly dominating the flows of energy and materials around the globe. Understanding the size distribution and dynamics of urban areas is vital if we are to manage their growth and mitigate their negative impacts on global ecosystems. For over 50 years, city size distributions have been assumed to universally follow a power function, and many theories have been put forth to explain what has become known as Zipf's law (the instance where the exponent of the power function equals unity. Most previous studies, however, only include the largest cities that comprise the tail of the distribution. Here we show that national, regional and continental city size distributions, whether based on census data or inferred from cluster areas of remotely-sensed nighttime lights, are in fact lognormally distributed through the majority of cities and only approach power functions for the largest cities in the distribution tails. To explore generating processes, we use a simple model incorporating only two basic human dynamics, migration and reproduction, that nonetheless generates distributions very similar to those found empirically. Our results suggest that macroscopic patterns of human settlements may be far more constrained by fundamental ecological principles than more fine-scale socioeconomic factors.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Mikosch, Thomas Valentin; Rackauskas, Alfredas
2010-01-01
In this paper, we deal with the asymptotic distribution of the maximum increment of a random walk with a regularly varying jump size distribution. This problem is motivated by a long-standing problem on change point detection for epidemic alternatives. It turns out that the limit distribution...... of the maximum increment of the random walk is one of the classical extreme value distributions, the Fréchet distribution. We prove the results in the general framework of point processes and for jump sizes taking values in a separable Banach space...
Toward Measuring Galactic Dense Molecular Gas Properties and 3D Distribution with Hi-GAL
Zetterlund, Erika; Glenn, Jason; Maloney, Phil
2016-01-01
The Herschel Space Observatory's submillimeter dust continuum survey Hi-GAL provides a powerful new dataset for characterizing the structure of the dense interstellar medium of the Milky Way. Hi-GAL observed a 2° wide strip covering the entire 360° of the Galactic plane in broad bands centered at 70, 160, 250, 350, and 500 μm, with angular resolution ranging from 10 to 40 arcseconds. We are adapting a molecular cloud clump-finding algorithm and a distance probability density function distance-determination method developed for the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey (BGPS) to the Hi-GAL data. Using these methods we expect to generate a database of 105 cloud clumps, derive distance information for roughly half the clumps, and derive precise distances for approximately 20% of them. With five-color photometry and distances, we will measure the cloud clump properties, such as luminosities, physical sizes, and masses, and construct a three-dimensional map of the Milky Way's dense molecular gas distribution.The cloud clump properties and the dense gas distribution will provide critical ground truths for comparison to theoretical models of molecular cloud structure formation and galaxy evolution models that seek to emulate spiral galaxies. For example, such models cannot resolve star formation and use prescriptive recipes, such as converting a fixed fraction of interstellar gas to stars at a specified interstellar medium density threshold. The models should be compared to observed dense molecular gas properties and galactic distributions.As a pilot survey to refine the clump-finding and distance measurement algorithms developed for BGPS, we have identified molecular cloud clumps in six 2° × 2° patches of the Galactic plane, including one in the inner Galaxy along the line of sight through the Molecular Ring and the termination of the Galactic bar and one toward the outer Galaxy. Distances have been derived for the inner Galaxy clumps and compared to Bolocam Galactic Plane
Remote Laser Diffraction Particle Size Distribution Analyzer
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Batcheller, Thomas Aquinas; Huestis, Gary Michael; Bolton, Steven Michael
2001-03-01
In support of a radioactive slurry sampling and physical characterization task, an “off-the-shelf” laser diffraction (classical light scattering) particle size analyzer was utilized for remote particle size distribution (PSD) analysis. Spent nuclear fuel was previously reprocessed at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC—formerly recognized as the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant) which is on DOE’s INEEL site. The acidic, radioactive aqueous raffinate streams from these processes were transferred to 300,000 gallon stainless steel storage vessels located in the INTEC Tank Farm area. Due to the transfer piping configuration in these vessels, complete removal of the liquid can not be achieved. Consequently, a “heel” slurry remains at the bottom of an “emptied” vessel. Particle size distribution characterization of the settled solids in this remaining heel slurry, as well as suspended solids in the tank liquid, is the goal of this remote PSD analyzer task. A Horiba Instruments Inc. Model LA-300 PSD analyzer, which has a 0.1 to 600 micron measurement range, was modified for remote application in a “hot cell” (gamma radiation) environment. This technology provides rapid and simple PSD analysis, especially down in the fine and microscopic particle size regime. Particle size analysis of these radioactive slurries down in this smaller range was not previously achievable—making this technology far superior than the traditional methods used. Successful acquisition of this data, in conjunction with other characterization analyses, provides important information that can be used in the myriad of potential radioactive waste management alternatives.
Some regularity of the grain size distribution in nuclear fuel with controllable structure
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Loktev, Igor
2008-01-01
It is known, the fission gas release from ceramic nuclear fuel depends from average size of grains. To increase grain size they use additives which activate sintering of pellets. However, grain size distribution influences on fission gas release also. Fuel with different structures, but with the same average size of grains has different fission gas release. Other structure elements, which influence operational behavior of fuel, are pores and inclusions. Earlier, in Kyoto, questions of distribution of grain size for fuel with 'natural' structure were discussed. Some regularity of grain size distribution of fuel with controllable structure and high average size of grains are considered in the report. Influence of inclusions and pores on an error of the automated definition of parameters of structure is shown. The criterion, which describe of behavior of fuel with specific grain size distribution, is offered
Deacon, L. J.; Pankhurst, L. J.; Drew, G. H.; Hayes, E. T.; Jackson, S.; Longhurst, P. J.; Longhurst, J. W. S.; Liu, J.; Pollard, S. J. T.; Tyrrel, S. F.
Information on the particle size distribution of bioaerosols emitted from open air composting operations is valuable in evaluating potential health impacts and is a requirement for improved dispersion simulation modelling. The membrane filter method was used to study the particle size distribution of Aspergillus fumigatus spores in air 50 m downwind of a green waste compost screening operation at a commercial facility. The highest concentrations (approximately 8 × 10 4 CFU m -3) of culturable spores were found on filters with pore diameters in the range 1-2 μm which suggests that the majority of spores are emitted as single cells. The findings were compared to published data collected using an Andersen sampler. Results were significantly correlated ( p < 0.01) indicating that the two methods are directly comparable across all particles sizes for Aspergillus spores.
Quantifying the effect of colony size and food distribution on harvester ant foraging.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Tatiana P Flanagan
Full Text Available Desert seed-harvester ants, genus Pogonomyrmex, are central place foragers that search for resources collectively. We quantify how seed harvesters exploit the spatial distribution of seeds to improve their rate of seed collection. We find that foraging rates are significantly influenced by the clumpiness of experimental seed baits. Colonies collected seeds from larger piles faster than randomly distributed seeds. We developed a method to compare foraging rates on clumped versus random seeds across three Pogonomyrmex species that differ substantially in forager population size. The increase in foraging rate when food was clumped in larger piles was indistinguishable across the three species, suggesting that species with larger colonies are no better than species with smaller colonies at collecting clumped seeds. These findings contradict the theoretical expectation that larger groups are more efficient at exploiting clumped resources, thus contributing to our understanding of the importance of the spatial distribution of food sources and colony size for communication and organization in social insects.
Growing axons analysis by using Granulometric Size Distribution
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gonzalez, Mariela A; Ballarin, Virginia L; Rapacioli, Melina; CelIn, A R; Sanchez, V; Flores, V
2011-01-01
Neurite growth (neuritogenesis) in vitro is a common methodology in the field of developmental neurobiology. Morphological analyses of growing neurites are usually difficult because their thinness and low contrast usually prevent to observe clearly their shape, number, length and spatial orientation. This paper presents the use of the granulometric size distribution in order to automatically obtain information about the shape, size and spatial orientation of growing axons in tissue cultures. The results here presented show that the granulometric size distribution results in a very useful morphological tool since it allows the automatic detection of growing axons and the precise characterization of a relevant parameter indicative of the axonal growth spatial orientation such as the quantification of the angle of deviation of the growing direction. The developed algorithms automatically quantify this orientation by facilitating the analysis of these images, which is important given the large number of images that need to be processed for this type of study.
Size distribution and structure of Barchan dune fields
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
O. Durán
2011-07-01
Full Text Available Barchans are isolated mobile dunes often organized in large dune fields. Dune fields seem to present a characteristic dune size and spacing, which suggests a cooperative behavior based on dune interaction. In Duran et al. (2009, we propose that the redistribution of sand by collisions between dunes is a key element for the stability and size selection of barchan dune fields. This approach was based on a mean-field model ignoring the spatial distribution of dune fields. Here, we present a simplified dune field model that includes the spatial evolution of individual dunes as well as their interaction through sand exchange and binary collisions. As a result, the dune field evolves towards a steady state that depends on the boundary conditions. Comparing our results with measurements of Moroccan dune fields, we find that the simulated fields have the same dune size distribution as in real fields but fail to reproduce their homogeneity along the wind direction.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Rijssel, Jos van; Kuipers, Bonny W.M.; Erné, Ben H.
2015-01-01
High-frequency applications of magnetic nanoparticles, such as therapeutic hyperthermia and magnetic particle imaging, are sensitive to nanoparticle size and dipole moment. Usually, it is assumed that magnetic nanoparticles with a log-normal distribution of the physical size also have a log-normal distribution of the magnetic dipole moment. Here, we test this assumption for different types of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in the 5–20 nm range, by multimodal fitting of magnetization curves using the MINORIM inversion method. The particles are studied while in dilute colloidal dispersion in a liquid, thereby preventing hysteresis and diminishing the effects of magnetic anisotropy on the interpretation of the magnetization curves. For two different types of well crystallized particles, the magnetic distribution is indeed log-normal, as expected from the physical size distribution. However, two other types of particles, with twinning defects or inhomogeneous oxide phases, are found to have a bimodal magnetic distribution. Our qualitative explanation is that relatively low fields are sufficient to begin aligning the particles in the liquid on the basis of their net dipole moment, whereas higher fields are required to align the smaller domains or less magnetic phases inside the particles. - Highlights: • Multimodal fits of dilute ferrofluids reveal when the particles are multidomain. • No a priori shape of the distribution is assumed by the MINORIM inversion method. • Well crystallized particles have log-normal TEM and magnetic size distributions. • Defective particles can combine a monomodal size and a bimodal dipole moment
Kim, C.S.; Wilson, K.M.; Rytuba, J.J.
2011-01-01
The mining and processing of metal-bearing ores has resulted in contamination issues where waste materials from abandoned mines remain in piles of untreated and unconsolidated material, posing the potential for waterborne and airborne transport of toxic elements. This study presents a systematic method of particle size separation, mass distribution, and bulk chemical analysis for mine tailings and adjacent background soil samples from the Rand historic mining district, California, in order to assess particle size distribution and related trends in metal(loid) concentration as a function of particle size. Mine tailings produced through stamp milling and leaching processes were found to have both a narrower and finer particle size distribution than background samples, with significant fractions of particles available in a size range (???250 ??m) that could be incidentally ingested. In both tailings and background samples, the majority of trace metal(loid)s display an inverse relationship between concentration and particle size, resulting in higher proportions of As, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn in finer-sized fractions which are more susceptible to both water- and wind-borne transport as well as ingestion and/or inhalation. Established regulatory screening levels for such elements may, therefore, significantly underestimate potential exposure risk if relying solely on bulk sample concentrations to guide remediation decisions. Correlations in elemental concentration trends (such as between As and Fe) indicate relationships between elements that may be relevant to their chemical speciation. ?? 2011 Elsevier Ltd.
Are range-size distributions consistent with species-level heritability?
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Borregaard, Michael Krabbe; Gotelli, Nicholas; Rahbek, Carsten
2012-01-01
The concept of species-level heritability is widely contested. Because it is most likely to apply to emergent, species-level traits, one of the central discussions has focused on the potential heritability of geographic range size. However, a central argument against range-size heritability has...... been that it is not compatible with the observed shape of present-day species range-size distributions (SRDs), a claim that has never been tested. To assess this claim, we used forward simulation of range-size evolution in clades with varying degrees of range-size heritability, and compared the output...
Higher albedos and size distribution of large transneptunian objects
Lykawka, Patryk Sofia; Mukai, Tadashi
2005-11-01
Transneptunian objects (TNOs) orbit beyond Neptune and do offer important clues about the formation of our solar system. Although observations have been increasing the number of discovered TNOs and improving their orbital elements, very little is known about elementary physical properties such as sizes, albedos and compositions. Due to TNOs large distances (>40 AU) and observational limitations, reliable physical information can be obtained only from brighter objects (supposedly larger bodies). According to size and albedo measurements available, it is evident the traditionally assumed albedo p=0.04 cannot hold for all TNOs, especially those with approximately absolute magnitudes H⩽5.5. That is, the largest TNOs possess higher albedos (generally >0.04) that strongly appear to increase as a function of size. Using a compilation of published data, we derived empirical relations which can provide estimations of diameters and albedos as a function of absolute magnitude. Calculations result in more accurate size/albedo estimations for TNOs with H⩽5.5 than just assuming p=0.04. Nevertheless, considering low statistics, the value p=0.04 sounds still convenient for H>5.5 non-binary TNOs as a group. We also discuss about physical processes (e.g., collisions, intrinsic activity and the presence of tenuous atmospheres) responsible for the increase of albedo among large bodies. Currently, all big TNOs (>700 km) would be capable to sustain thin atmospheres or icy frosts composed of CH 4, CO or N 2 even for body bulk densities as low as 0.5 g cm -3. A size-dependent albedo has important consequences for the TNOs size distribution, cumulative luminosity function and total mass estimations. According to our analysis, the latter can be reduced up to 50% if higher albedos are common among large bodies. Lastly, by analyzing orbital properties of classical TNOs ( 42AUbodies. For both populations, distinct absolute magnitude distributions are maximized for an inclination threshold
Dimitroulis, Christos; Raptis, Theophanes; Raptis, Vasilios
2015-12-01
We present an application for the calculation of radial distribution functions for molecular centres of mass, based on trajectories generated by molecular simulation methods (Molecular Dynamics, Monte Carlo). When designing this application, the emphasis was placed on ease of use as well as ease of further development. In its current version, the program can read trajectories generated by the well-known DL_POLY package, but it can be easily extended to handle other formats. It is also very easy to 'hack' the program so it can compute intermolecular radial distribution functions for groups of interaction sites rather than whole molecules.
Size distribution of planktonic autotrophy and microheterotrophy in DeGray Reservoir, Arkansas
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kimmel, B.L.; Groeger, A.W.
1983-01-01
Naturally occurring assemblages of phytoplankton and bacterioplankton were radiolabelled with sodium 14 C-bicarbonate and sodium 3 H-acetate and size fractionated to determine the size structure of planktonic autotrophy and microheterotrophy in DeGray Reservoir, an oligotrophic impoundment of the Caddo River in south-central Arkansas. Size distributions of autotrophy and microheterotrophy were remarkably uniform seasonally, vertically within the water column, and along the longitudinal axis of the reservoir despite significant changes in environmental conditions. Planktonic autotrophy was dominated by small algal cells with usually >50% of the photosynthetic carbon uptake accounted for by organisms 75% of the planktonic microheterotrophy. Longitudinal patterns in autotrophic and microheterotrophic activities associated with >3-μm and >1-μm size fractions, respectively, suggest an uplake to downlake shift from riverine to lacustrine environmental influences within the reservoir. 83 references, 7 figures
Size effect on local magnetic moments in ferrimagnetic molecular complexes: an XMCD investigation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Champion, G.; Villain, F.; Cartier dit Moulin, C.; Arrio, M.-A.; Sainctavit, P.; Zacchigna, M.; Zangrando, M.; Finazzi, M.; Parmigiani, F.; Mathoniere, C.
2003-01-01
Molecular chemistry allows to synthesize new magnetic systems with controlled properties such as size, magnetization or anisotropy. The theoretical study of the magnetic properties of small molecules (from 2 to 10 metallic cations per molecule) predicts that the magnetization at saturation of each ion does not reach the expected value for uncoupled ions when the magnetic interaction is antiferromagnetic. The quantum origin of this effect is due to the linear combination of several spin states building the wave function of the ground state and clusters of finite size and of finite spin value exhibit this property. When single crystals are available, spin densities on each atom can be experimentally given by polarized neutron diffraction (PND) experiments. In the case of bimetallic MnCu powdered samples, we will show that x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectroscopy can be used to follow the evolution of the spin distribution on the Mn II and Cu II sites when passing from a dinuclear MnCu unit to a one dimensional (MnCu) n compound. (author)
Notes on representing grain size distributions obtained by electron backscatter diffraction
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Toth, Laszlo S.; Biswas, Somjeet; Gu, Chengfan; Beausir, Benoit
2013-01-01
Grain size distributions measured by electron backscatter diffraction are commonly represented by histograms using either number or area fraction definitions. It is shown here that they should be presented in forms of density distribution functions for direct quantitative comparisons between different measurements. Here we make an interpretation of the frequently seen parabolic tales of the area distributions of bimodal grain structures and a transformation formula between the two distributions are given in this paper. - Highlights: • Grain size distributions are represented by density functions. • The parabolic tales corresponds to equal number of grains in a bin of the histogram. • A simple transformation formula is given to number and area weighed distributions. • The particularities of uniform and lognormal distributions are examined
Moreno-Vilet, Lorena; Bostyn, Stéphane; Flores-Montaño, Jose-Luis; Camacho-Ruiz, Rosa-María
2017-12-15
Agave fructans are increasingly important in food industry and nutrition sciences as a potential ingredient of functional food, thus practical analysis tools to characterize them are needed. In view of the importance of the molecular weight on the functional properties of agave fructans, this study has the purpose to optimize a method to determine their molecular weight distribution by HPLC-SEC for industrial application. The optimization was carried out using a simplex method. The optimum conditions obtained were at column temperature of 61.7°C using tri-distilled water without salt, adjusted pH of 5.4 and a flow rate of 0.36mL/min. The exclusion range is from 1 to 49 of polymerization degree (180-7966Da). This proposed method represents an accurate and fast alternative to standard methods involving multiple-detection or hydrolysis of fructans. The industrial applications of this technique might be for quality control, study of fractionation processes and determination of purity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Gong, Dan-yan; Pan, Yang; Huang, Yong; Bao, Wei; Li, Qian-qian
2016-03-15
Grain size distribution characteristics of suspended particulate matter (SPM) reflects the apparent polluted condition of the urban landscape water. In order to explore the internal relationship between the eutrophication of urban landscape water's apparent pollution and grain size distribution of SPM, and its influencing factors, this paper selected five representative sampling sites in Feng Jin River which is a typical eutrophication river in Suzhou City, measured the grain size distribution of SPM, sensation pollution index (SPI) and water quality index, and analyzed their correlation. The results showed that: The rich nutrient water possessed a similar characteristics in grain size distribution. The grain size distribution of SPM in water was multimodal, and the the peak position was roughly the same; the grain size distribution of SPM was composed by multiple components. It could be roughly divided into six parts with the particle size range of every group being 516 µm. The component III was superior (with an average volume fraction of 38.3%-43.2%), and its volume fraction had a significant positive relation with the SPI value and the Chl-a content. The increase of component III volume fraction was the reflection of particle size's result of increasing SPI value. The increase of component III volume fraction was mainly derived from the increasing algal content. The volume fraction of group IV + group VI + group V was significantly higher under the condition of exogenous enter. When there was no exogenous component, the volume fraction of group IV + group VI + group V had a significant negative correlation with SPI value; when there were exogenous components, the volume fraction of group IV + group VI + group V had a weak positive correlation with SPI value, but the correlation did not reach a significant level. Environmental factors (Fv/Fm and DO) and exogenous factors had an influence by functioning on the algal content which signified the polluted material
DELCASTILHO, P; DALENBERG, JW; BRUNT, K; BRUINS, AP
1993-01-01
Sephadex size exclusion chromatography was used to prepare molecular size fractions from liquid pig slurry, before and after aerobic interaction with a loamy-sand soil. In the liquid fractions organic matter was characterized and some components were identified. The distribution of zinc and copper
Zhu, Yue-Shan; Yang, Wan-Dong; Li, Xiu-Wen; Ni, Hong-Gang; Zeng, Hui
2018-02-01
The quality of indoor environments has a significant impact on public health. Usually, an indoor environment is treated as a static box, in which physicochemical reactions of indoor air contaminants are negligible. This results in conservative estimates for primary indoor air pollutant concentrations, while also ignoring secondary pollutants. Thus, understanding the relationship between indoor and outdoor particles and particle-bound pollutants is of great significance. For this reason, we collected simultaneous indoor and outdoor measurements of the size distribution of airborne brominated flame retardant (BFR) congeners. The time-dependent concentrations of indoor particles and particle-bound BFRs were then estimated with the mass balance model, accounting for the outdoor concentration, indoor source strength, infiltration, penetration, deposition and indoor resuspension. Based on qualitative observation, the size distributions of ΣPBDE and ΣHBCD were characterized by bimodal peaks. According to our results, particle-bound BDE209 and γ-HBCD underwent degradation. Regardless of the surface adsorption capability of particles and the physicochemical properties of the target compounds, the concentration of BFRs in particles of different size fractions seemed to be governed by the particle distribution. Based on our estimations, for airborne particles and particle-bound BFRs, a window-open ventilated room only takes a quarter of the time to reach an equilibrium between the concentration of pollutants inside and outside compared to a closed room. Unfortunately, indoor pollutants and outdoor pollutants always exist simultaneously, which poses a window-open-or-closed dilemma to achieve proper ventilation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The magnetized sheath of a dusty plasma with grains size distribution
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ou, Jing; Gan, Chunyun; Lin, Binbin; Yang, Jinhong
2015-01-01
The structure of a plasma sheath in the presence of dust grains size distribution (DGSD) is investigated in the multi-fluid framework. It is shown that effect of the dust grains with different sizes on the sheath structure is a collective behavior. The spatial distributions of electric potential, the electron and ion densities and velocities, and the dust grains surface potential are strongly affected by DGSD. The dynamics of dust grains with different sizes in the sheath depend on not only DGSD but also their radius. By comparison of the sheath structure, it is found that under the same expected value of DGSD condition, the sheath length is longer in the case of lognormal distribution than that in the case of uniform distribution. In two cases of normal and lognormal distributions, the sheath length is almost equal for the small variance of DGSD, and then the difference of sheath length increases gradually with increase in the variance
The effects of particle size distribution and induced unpinning during grain growth
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Thompson, G.S.; Rickman, J.M.; Harmer, M.P.; Holm, E.A.
1996-01-01
The effect of a second-phase particle size distribution on grain boundary pinning was studied using a Monte Carlo simulation technique. Simulations were run using a constant number density of both whisker and rhombohedral particles, and the effect of size distribution was studied by varying the standard deviation of the distribution around a constant mean particle size. The results of present simulations indicate that, in accordance with the stereological assumption of the topological pinning model, changes in distribution width had no effect on the pinned grain size. The effect of induced unpinning of particles on microstructure was also studied. In contrast to predictions of the topological pinning model, a power law dependence of pinned grain size on particle size was observed at T=0.0. Based on this, a systematic deviation to the stereological predictions of the topological pinning model is observed. The results of simulations at higher temperatures indicate an increasing power law dependence of pinned grain size on particle size, with the slopes of the power law dependencies fitting an Arrhenius relation. The effect of induced unpinning of particles was also studied in order to obtain a correlation between particle/boundary concentration and equilibrium grain size. The results of simulations containing a constant number density of monosized rhombohedral particles suggest a strong power law correlation between the two parameters. copyright 1996 Materials Research Society
Determination of size distribution using neural networks
Stevens, JH; Nijhuis, JAG; Spaanenburg, L; Mohammadian, M
1999-01-01
In this paper we present a novel approach to the estimation of size distributions of grains in water from images. External conditions such as the concentrations of grains in water cannot be controlled. This poses problems for local image analysis which tries to identify and measure single grains.
Effects of molecular size and chemical factor on plasma gene transfection
Ikeda, Yoshihisa; Motomura, Hideki; Kido, Yugo; Satoh, Susumu; Jinno, Masafumi
2016-07-01
In order to clarify the mechanism of plasma gene transfection, the relationship between transfection efficiency and transferred molecular size was investigated. Molecules with low molecular mass (less than 50 kDa; dye or dye-labeled oligonucleotide) and high molecular mass (more than 1 MDa; plasmid DNA or fragment of plasmid DNA) were transferred to L-929 cells. It was found that the transfection efficiency decreases with increasing in transferred molecular size and also depends on the tertiary structure of transferred molecules. Moreover, it was suggested the transfection mechanism is different between the molecules with low (less than 50 kDa) and high molecular mass (higher than 1 MDa). For the amount of gene transfection after plasma irradiation, which is comparable to that during plasma irradiation, it is shown that H2O2 molecules are the main contributor. The transfection efficiency decreased to 0.40 ± 0.22 upon scavenging the H2O2 generated by plasma irradiation using the catalase. On the other hand, when the H2O2 solution is dropped into the cell suspension without plasma irradiation, the transfection efficiency is almost 0%. In these results, it is also suggested that there is a synergetic effect of H2O2 with electrical factors or other reactive species generated by plasma irradiation.
Field size and dose distribution of electron beam
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kang, Wee Saing
1980-01-01
The author concerns some relations between the field size and dose distribution of electron beams. The doses of electron beams are measured by either an ion chamber with an electrometer or by film for dosimetry. We analyzes qualitatively some relations; the energy of incident electron beams and depths of maximum dose, field sizes of electron beams and depth of maximum dose, field size and scatter factor, electron energy and scatter factor, collimator shape and scatter factor, electron energy and surface dose, field size and surface dose, field size and central axis depth dose, and field size and practical range. He meets with some results. They are that the field size of electron beam has influence on the depth of maximum dose, scatter factor, surface dose and central axis depth dose, scatter factor depends on the field size and energy of electron beam, and the shape of the collimator, and the depth of maximum dose and the surface dose depend on the energy of electron beam, but the practical range of electron beam is independent of field size
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Prudence O Powell
Full Text Available Phytoglycogen (from certain mutant plants and animal glycogen are highly branched glucose polymers with similarities in structural features and molecular size range. Both appear to form composite α particles from smaller β particles. The molecular size distribution of liver glycogen is bimodal, with distinct α and β components, while that of phytoglycogen is monomodal. This study aims to enhance our understanding of the nature of the link between liver-glycogen β particles resulting in the formation of large α particles. It examines the time evolution of the size distribution of these molecules during acid hydrolysis, and the size dependence of the molecular density of both glucans. The monomodal distribution of phytoglycogen decreases uniformly in time with hydrolysis, while with glycogen, the large particles degrade significantly more quickly. The size dependence of the molecular density shows qualitatively different shapes for these two types of molecules. The data, combined with a quantitative model for the evolution of the distribution during degradation, suggest that the bonding between β into α particles is different between phytoglycogen and liver glycogen, with the formation of a glycosidic linkage for phytoglycogen and a covalent or strong non-covalent linkage, most probably involving a protein, for glycogen as most likely. This finding is of importance for diabetes, where α-particle structure is impaired.
Powell, Prudence O.; Sullivan, Mitchell A.; Sheehy, Joshua J.; Schulz, Benjamin L.; Warren, Frederick J.; Gilbert, Robert G.
2015-01-01
Phytoglycogen (from certain mutant plants) and animal glycogen are highly branched glucose polymers with similarities in structural features and molecular size range. Both appear to form composite α particles from smaller β particles. The molecular size distribution of liver glycogen is bimodal, with distinct α and β components, while that of phytoglycogen is monomodal. This study aims to enhance our understanding of the nature of the link between liver-glycogen β particles resulting in the formation of large α particles. It examines the time evolution of the size distribution of these molecules during acid hydrolysis, and the size dependence of the molecular density of both glucans. The monomodal distribution of phytoglycogen decreases uniformly in time with hydrolysis, while with glycogen, the large particles degrade significantly more quickly. The size dependence of the molecular density shows qualitatively different shapes for these two types of molecules. The data, combined with a quantitative model for the evolution of the distribution during degradation, suggest that the bonding between β into α particles is different between phytoglycogen and liver glycogen, with the formation of a glycosidic linkage for phytoglycogen and a covalent or strong non-covalent linkage, most probably involving a protein, for glycogen as most likely. This finding is of importance for diabetes, where α-particle structure is impaired. PMID:25799321
Undersampling power-law size distributions: effect on the assessment of extreme natural hazards
Geist, Eric L.; Parsons, Thomas E.
2014-01-01
The effect of undersampling on estimating the size of extreme natural hazards from historical data is examined. Tests using synthetic catalogs indicate that the tail of an empirical size distribution sampled from a pure Pareto probability distribution can range from having one-to-several unusually large events to appearing depleted, relative to the parent distribution. Both of these effects are artifacts caused by limited catalog length. It is more difficult to diagnose the artificially depleted empirical distributions, since one expects that a pure Pareto distribution is physically limited in some way. Using maximum likelihood methods and the method of moments, we estimate the power-law exponent and the corner size parameter of tapered Pareto distributions for several natural hazard examples: tsunamis, floods, and earthquakes. Each of these examples has varying catalog lengths and measurement thresholds, relative to the largest event sizes. In many cases where there are only several orders of magnitude between the measurement threshold and the largest events, joint two-parameter estimation techniques are necessary to account for estimation dependence between the power-law scaling exponent and the corner size parameter. Results indicate that whereas the corner size parameter of a tapered Pareto distribution can be estimated, its upper confidence bound cannot be determined and the estimate itself is often unstable with time. Correspondingly, one cannot statistically reject a pure Pareto null hypothesis using natural hazard catalog data. Although physical limits to the hazard source size and by attenuation mechanisms from source to site constrain the maximum hazard size, historical data alone often cannot reliably determine the corner size parameter. Probabilistic assessments incorporating theoretical constraints on source size and propagation effects are preferred over deterministic assessments of extreme natural hazards based on historic data.
Distribution Functions of Sizes and Fluxes Determined from Supra-Arcade Downflows
McKenzie, D.; Savage, S.
2011-01-01
The frequency distributions of sizes and fluxes of supra-arcade downflows (SADs) provide information about the process of their creation. For example, a fractal creation process may be expected to yield a power-law distribution of sizes and/or fluxes. We examine 120 cross-sectional areas and magnetic flux estimates found by Savage & McKenzie for SADs, and find that (1) the areas are consistent with a log-normal distribution and (2) the fluxes are consistent with both a log-normal and an exponential distribution. Neither set of measurements is compatible with a power-law distribution nor a normal distribution. As a demonstration of the applicability of these findings to improved understanding of reconnection, we consider a simple SAD growth scenario with minimal assumptions, capable of producing a log-normal distribution.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sarah E Steele
Full Text Available Body size is an important correlate of life history, ecology and distribution of species. Despite this, very little is known about body size evolution in fishes, particularly freshwater fishes of the Neotropics where species and body size diversity are relatively high. Phylogenetic history and body size data were used to explore body size frequency distributions in Neotropical cichlids, a broadly distributed and ecologically diverse group of fishes that is highly representative of body size diversity in Neotropical freshwater fishes. We test for divergence, phylogenetic autocorrelation and among-clade partitioning of body size space. Neotropical cichlids show low phylogenetic autocorrelation and divergence within and among taxonomic levels. Three distinct regions of body size space were identified from body size frequency distributions at various taxonomic levels corresponding to subclades of the most diverse tribe, Geophagini. These regions suggest that lineages may be evolving towards particular size optima that may be tied to specific ecological roles. The diversification of Geophagini appears to constrain the evolution of body size among other Neotropical cichlid lineages; non-Geophagini clades show lower species-richness in body size regions shared with Geophagini. Neotropical cichlid genera show less divergence and extreme body size than expected within and among tribes. Body size divergence among species may instead be present or linked to ecology at the community assembly scale.
Particle size distribution of radioactive aerosols after the Fukushima and the Chernobyl accidents.
Malá, Helena; Rulík, Petr; Bečková, Vera; Mihalík, Ján; Slezáková, Miriam
2013-12-01
Following the Fukushima accident, a series of aerosol samples were taken between 24th March and 13th April 2011 by cascade impactors in the Czech Republic to obtain the size distribution of (131)I, (134)Cs, (137)Cs, and (7)Be aerosols. All distributions could be considered monomodal. The arithmetic means of the activity median aerodynamic diameters (AMADs) for artificial radionuclides and for (7)Be were 0.43 and 0.41 μm with GDSs 3.6 and 3.0, respectively. The time course of the AMADs of (134)Cs, (137)Cs and (7)Be in the sampled period showed a slight decrease at a significance level of 0.05, whereas the AMAD pertaining to (131)I increased at a significance level of 0.1. Results obtained after the Fukushima accident were compared with results obtained after the Chernobyl accident. The radionuclides released during the Chernobyl accident for which we determined the AMAD fell into two categories: refractory radionuclides ((140)Ba, (140)La (141)Ce, (144)Ce, (95)Zr and (95)Nb) and volatile radionuclides ((134)Cs, (137)Cs, (103)Ru, (106)Ru, (131)I, and (132)Te). The AMAD of the refractory radionuclides was approximately 3 times higher than the AMAD of the volatile radionuclides; nevertheless, the size distributions for volatile radionuclides having a mean AMAD value of 0.51 μm were very close to the distributions after the Fukushima accident. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Particle size dependence of biogenic secondary organic aerosol molecular composition
Tu, Peijun; Johnston, Murray V.
2017-06-01
Formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is initiated by the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the gas phase whose products subsequently partition to the particle phase. Non-volatile molecules have a negligible evaporation rate and grow particles at their condensation rate. Semi-volatile molecules have a significant evaporation rate and grow particles at a much slower rate than their condensation rate. Particle phase chemistry may enhance particle growth if it transforms partitioned semi-volatile molecules into non-volatile products. In principle, changes in molecular composition as a function of particle size allow non-volatile molecules that have condensed from the gas phase (a surface-limited process) to be distinguished from those produced by particle phase reaction (a volume-limited process). In this work, SOA was produced by β-pinene ozonolysis in a flow tube reactor. Aerosol exiting the reactor was size-selected with a differential mobility analyzer, and individual particle sizes between 35 and 110 nm in diameter were characterized by on- and offline mass spectrometry. Both the average oxygen-to-carbon (O / C) ratio and carbon oxidation state (OSc) were found to decrease with increasing particle size, while the relative signal intensity of oligomers increased with increasing particle size. These results are consistent with oligomer formation primarily in the particle phase (accretion reactions, which become more favored as the volume-to-surface-area ratio of the particle increases). Analysis of a series of polydisperse SOA samples showed similar dependencies: as the mass loading increased (and average volume-to-surface-area ratio increased), the average O / C ratio and OSc decreased, while the relative intensity of oligomer ions increased. The results illustrate the potential impact that particle phase chemistry can have on biogenic SOA formation and the particle size range where this chemistry becomes important.
Particle size dependence of biogenic secondary organic aerosol molecular composition
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
P. Tu
2017-06-01
Full Text Available Formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA is initiated by the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs in the gas phase whose products subsequently partition to the particle phase. Non-volatile molecules have a negligible evaporation rate and grow particles at their condensation rate. Semi-volatile molecules have a significant evaporation rate and grow particles at a much slower rate than their condensation rate. Particle phase chemistry may enhance particle growth if it transforms partitioned semi-volatile molecules into non-volatile products. In principle, changes in molecular composition as a function of particle size allow non-volatile molecules that have condensed from the gas phase (a surface-limited process to be distinguished from those produced by particle phase reaction (a volume-limited process. In this work, SOA was produced by β-pinene ozonolysis in a flow tube reactor. Aerosol exiting the reactor was size-selected with a differential mobility analyzer, and individual particle sizes between 35 and 110 nm in diameter were characterized by on- and offline mass spectrometry. Both the average oxygen-to-carbon (O ∕ C ratio and carbon oxidation state (OSc were found to decrease with increasing particle size, while the relative signal intensity of oligomers increased with increasing particle size. These results are consistent with oligomer formation primarily in the particle phase (accretion reactions, which become more favored as the volume-to-surface-area ratio of the particle increases. Analysis of a series of polydisperse SOA samples showed similar dependencies: as the mass loading increased (and average volume-to-surface-area ratio increased, the average O ∕ C ratio and OSc decreased, while the relative intensity of oligomer ions increased. The results illustrate the potential impact that particle phase chemistry can have on biogenic SOA formation and the particle size range where this chemistry becomes
Lognormal Behavior of the Size Distributions of Animation Characters
Yamamoto, Ken
This study investigates the statistical property of the character sizes of animation, superhero series, and video game. By using online databases of Pokémon (video game) and Power Rangers (superhero series), the height and weight distributions are constructed, and we find that the weight distributions of Pokémon and Zords (robots in Power Rangers) follow the lognormal distribution in common. For the theoretical mechanism of this lognormal behavior, the combination of the normal distribution and the Weber-Fechner law is proposed.
Forecasting grain size distribution of coal cut by a shearer loader
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Sikora, W; Chodura, J; Siwiec, J
1983-02-01
Analyzed are effects of shearer loader design on grain size distribution of coal, particularly on proportion of the finest size group and proportion of largest coal grains. The method developed by the IGD im. A.A. Skochinski Institute in Moscow is used. Effects of cutting tool design and mechanical coal properties are analyzed. Of the evaluated factors, two are of decisive importance: thickness of the coal chip cut by a cutting tool and coefficient of coal disintegration which characterizes coal behavior during cutting. Grain size distribution is also influenced by cutting tool geometry. Two elements of cutting tool design are of major importance: dimensions of the cutting edge and angle of attack. Effects of cutting tool design and coal mechanical properties on grain size distribution are shown in 12 diagrams. Using the forecasting method developed by the IGD im. A.A. Skochinski Institute in Moscow grain size distribution of coal cut by three shearer loaders is calculated: the KWB-3RDU with a drum 1600 mm in diameter, the KWB-6W with a drum 2500 mm in diameter, and a shearer loader being developed with a 1550 mm drum. The results of comparative evaluations are shown in two tables. 5 references.
Poppe, L.J.; Eliason, A.H.; Hastings, M.E.
2004-01-01
Measures that describe and summarize sediment grain-size distributions are important to geologists because of the large amount of information contained in textural data sets. Statistical methods are usually employed to simplify the necessary comparisons among samples and quantify the observed differences. The two statistical methods most commonly used by sedimentologists to describe particle distributions are mathematical moments (Krumbein and Pettijohn, 1938) and inclusive graphics (Folk, 1974). The choice of which of these statistical measures to use is typically governed by the amount of data available (Royse, 1970). If the entire distribution is known, the method of moments may be used; if the next to last accumulated percent is greater than 95, inclusive graphics statistics can be generated. Unfortunately, earlier programs designed to describe sediment grain-size distributions statistically do not run in a Windows environment, do not allow extrapolation of the distribution's tails, or do not generate both moment and graphic statistics (Kane and Hubert, 1963; Collias et al., 1963; Schlee and Webster, 1967; Poppe et al., 2000)1.Owing to analytical limitations, electro-resistance multichannel particle-size analyzers, such as Coulter Counters, commonly truncate the tails of the fine-fraction part of grain-size distributions. These devices do not detect fine clay in the 0.6–0.1 μm range (part of the 11-phi and all of the 12-phi and 13-phi fractions). Although size analyses performed down to 0.6 μm microns are adequate for most freshwater and near shore marine sediments, samples from many deeper water marine environments (e.g. rise and abyssal plain) may contain significant material in the fine clay fraction, and these analyses benefit from extrapolation.The program (GSSTAT) described herein generates statistics to characterize sediment grain-size distributions and can extrapolate the fine-grained end of the particle distribution. It is written in Microsoft
Houghton, J.C.
1988-01-01
The truncated shifted Pareto (TSP) distribution, a variant of the two-parameter Pareto distribution, in which one parameter is added to shift the distribution right and left and the right-hand side is truncated, is used to model size distributions of oil and gas fields for resource assessment. Assumptions about limits to the left-hand and right-hand side reduce the number of parameters to two. The TSP distribution has advantages over the more customary lognormal distribution because it has a simple analytic expression, allowing exact computation of several statistics of interest, has a "J-shape," and has more flexibility in the thickness of the right-hand tail. Oil field sizes from the Minnelusa play in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana, are used as a case study. Probability plotting procedures allow easy visualization of the fit and help the assessment. ?? 1988 International Association for Mathematical Geology.
Particle size distribution of selected electronic nicotine delivery system products.
Oldham, Michael J; Zhang, Jingjie; Rusyniak, Mark J; Kane, David B; Gardner, William P
2018-03-01
Dosimetry models can be used to predict the dose of inhaled material, but they require several parameters including particle size distribution. The reported particle size distributions for aerosols from electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products vary widely and don't always identify a specific product. A low-flow cascade impactor was used to determine the particle size distribution [mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD); geometric standard deviation (GSD)] from 20 different cartridge based ENDS products. To assess losses and vapor phase amount, collection efficiency of the system was measured by comparing the collected mass in the impactor to the difference in ENDS product mass. The levels of nicotine, glycerin, propylene glycol, water, and menthol in the formulations of each product were also measured. Regardless of the ENDS product formulation, the MMAD of all tested products was similar and ranged from 0.9 to 1.2 μm with a GSD ranging from 1.7 to 2.2. There was no consistent pattern of change in the MMAD and GSD as a function of number of puffs (cartridge life). The collection efficiency indicated that 9%-26% of the generated mass was deposited in the collection system or was in the vapor phase. The particle size distribution data are suitable for use in aerosol dosimetry programs. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rajesh Raju
2018-03-01
Full Text Available We report the synthesis and properties of temperature- and pH-responsive p([NIPAm-co-PEGMA] (core/[NIPAm-co-AAc] (shell nanogels with narrow size distributions, tunable sizes and increased drug loading efficiencies. The core-shell nanogels were synthesized using an optimized two-stage seeded polymerization methodology. The core-shell nanogels show a narrow size distribution and controllable physico-chemical properties. The hydrodynamic sizes, charge distributions, temperature-induced volume phase transition behaviors, pH-responsive behaviors and drug loading capabilities of the core-shell nanogels were investigated using transmission electron microscopy, zeta potential measurements, dynamic light scattering and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The size of the core-shell nanogels was controlled by polymerizing NIPAm with crosslinker poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEGDMA of different molecular weights (Mn-200, 400, 550 and 750 g/mol during the core synthesis. It was found that the swelling/deswelling kinetics of the nanogels was sharp and reversible; with its volume phase transition temperature in the range of 40–42 °C. Furthermore, the nanogels loaded with l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA, using a modified breathing-in mechanism, showed high loading and encapsulation efficiencies, providing potential possibilities of such nanogels for biomedical applications.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Seif, Dariush, E-mail: dariush.seif@iwm-extern.fraunhofer.de [Fraunhofer Institut für Werkstoffmechanik, Freiburg 79108 (Germany); Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1597 (United States); Ghoniem, Nasr M. [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1597 (United States)
2014-12-15
A rate theory model based on the theory of nonlinear stochastic differential equations (SDEs) is developed to estimate the time-dependent size distribution of helium bubbles in metals under irradiation. Using approaches derived from Itô’s calculus, rate equations for the first five moments of the size distribution in helium–vacancy space are derived, accounting for the stochastic nature of the atomic processes involved. In the first iteration of the model, the distribution is represented as a bivariate Gaussian distribution. The spread of the distribution about the mean is obtained by white-noise terms in the second-order moments, driven by fluctuations in the general absorption and emission of point defects by bubbles, and fluctuations stemming from collision cascades. This statistical model for the reconstruction of the distribution by its moments is coupled to a previously developed reduced-set, mean-field, rate theory model. As an illustrative case study, the model is applied to a tungsten plasma facing component under irradiation. Our findings highlight the important role of stochastic atomic fluctuations on the evolution of helium–vacancy cluster size distributions. It is found that when the average bubble size is small (at low dpa levels), the relative spread of the distribution is large and average bubble pressures may be very large. As bubbles begin to grow in size, average bubble pressures decrease, and stochastic fluctuations have a lessened effect. The distribution becomes tighter as it evolves in time, corresponding to a more uniform bubble population. The model is formulated in a general way, capable of including point defect drift due to internal temperature and/or stress gradients. These arise during pulsed irradiation, and also during steady irradiation as a result of externally applied or internally generated non-homogeneous stress fields. Discussion is given into how the model can be extended to include full spatial resolution and how the
Seif, Dariush; Ghoniem, Nasr M.
2014-12-01
A rate theory model based on the theory of nonlinear stochastic differential equations (SDEs) is developed to estimate the time-dependent size distribution of helium bubbles in metals under irradiation. Using approaches derived from Itô's calculus, rate equations for the first five moments of the size distribution in helium-vacancy space are derived, accounting for the stochastic nature of the atomic processes involved. In the first iteration of the model, the distribution is represented as a bivariate Gaussian distribution. The spread of the distribution about the mean is obtained by white-noise terms in the second-order moments, driven by fluctuations in the general absorption and emission of point defects by bubbles, and fluctuations stemming from collision cascades. This statistical model for the reconstruction of the distribution by its moments is coupled to a previously developed reduced-set, mean-field, rate theory model. As an illustrative case study, the model is applied to a tungsten plasma facing component under irradiation. Our findings highlight the important role of stochastic atomic fluctuations on the evolution of helium-vacancy cluster size distributions. It is found that when the average bubble size is small (at low dpa levels), the relative spread of the distribution is large and average bubble pressures may be very large. As bubbles begin to grow in size, average bubble pressures decrease, and stochastic fluctuations have a lessened effect. The distribution becomes tighter as it evolves in time, corresponding to a more uniform bubble population. The model is formulated in a general way, capable of including point defect drift due to internal temperature and/or stress gradients. These arise during pulsed irradiation, and also during steady irradiation as a result of externally applied or internally generated non-homogeneous stress fields. Discussion is given into how the model can be extended to include full spatial resolution and how the
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Seif, Dariush; Ghoniem, Nasr M.
2014-01-01
A rate theory model based on the theory of nonlinear stochastic differential equations (SDEs) is developed to estimate the time-dependent size distribution of helium bubbles in metals under irradiation. Using approaches derived from Itô’s calculus, rate equations for the first five moments of the size distribution in helium–vacancy space are derived, accounting for the stochastic nature of the atomic processes involved. In the first iteration of the model, the distribution is represented as a bivariate Gaussian distribution. The spread of the distribution about the mean is obtained by white-noise terms in the second-order moments, driven by fluctuations in the general absorption and emission of point defects by bubbles, and fluctuations stemming from collision cascades. This statistical model for the reconstruction of the distribution by its moments is coupled to a previously developed reduced-set, mean-field, rate theory model. As an illustrative case study, the model is applied to a tungsten plasma facing component under irradiation. Our findings highlight the important role of stochastic atomic fluctuations on the evolution of helium–vacancy cluster size distributions. It is found that when the average bubble size is small (at low dpa levels), the relative spread of the distribution is large and average bubble pressures may be very large. As bubbles begin to grow in size, average bubble pressures decrease, and stochastic fluctuations have a lessened effect. The distribution becomes tighter as it evolves in time, corresponding to a more uniform bubble population. The model is formulated in a general way, capable of including point defect drift due to internal temperature and/or stress gradients. These arise during pulsed irradiation, and also during steady irradiation as a result of externally applied or internally generated non-homogeneous stress fields. Discussion is given into how the model can be extended to include full spatial resolution and how the
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
K. M. Sakamoto
2016-06-01
Full Text Available Biomass-burning aerosols have a significant effect on global and regional aerosol climate forcings. To model the magnitude of these effects accurately requires knowledge of the size distribution of the emitted and evolving aerosol particles. Current biomass-burning inventories do not include size distributions, and global and regional models generally assume a fixed size distribution from all biomass-burning emissions. However, biomass-burning size distributions evolve in the plume due to coagulation and net organic aerosol (OA evaporation or formation, and the plume processes occur on spacial scales smaller than global/regional-model grid boxes. The extent of this size-distribution evolution is dependent on a variety of factors relating to the emission source and atmospheric conditions. Therefore, accurately accounting for biomass-burning aerosol size in global models requires an effective aerosol size distribution that accounts for this sub-grid evolution and can be derived from available emission-inventory and meteorological parameters. In this paper, we perform a detailed investigation of the effects of coagulation on the aerosol size distribution in biomass-burning plumes. We compare the effect of coagulation to that of OA evaporation and formation. We develop coagulation-only parameterizations for effective biomass-burning size distributions using the SAM-TOMAS large-eddy simulation plume model. For the most-sophisticated parameterization, we use the Gaussian Emulation Machine for Sensitivity Analysis (GEM-SA to build a parameterization of the aged size distribution based on the SAM-TOMAS output and seven inputs: emission median dry diameter, emission distribution modal width, mass emissions flux, fire area, mean boundary-layer wind speed, plume mixing depth, and time/distance since emission. This parameterization was tested against an independent set of SAM-TOMAS simulations and yields R2 values of 0.83 and 0.89 for Dpm and modal width
Sakamoto, Kimiko M.; Laing, James R.; Stevens, Robin G.; Jaffe, Daniel A.; Pierce, Jeffrey R.
2016-06-01
Biomass-burning aerosols have a significant effect on global and regional aerosol climate forcings. To model the magnitude of these effects accurately requires knowledge of the size distribution of the emitted and evolving aerosol particles. Current biomass-burning inventories do not include size distributions, and global and regional models generally assume a fixed size distribution from all biomass-burning emissions. However, biomass-burning size distributions evolve in the plume due to coagulation and net organic aerosol (OA) evaporation or formation, and the plume processes occur on spacial scales smaller than global/regional-model grid boxes. The extent of this size-distribution evolution is dependent on a variety of factors relating to the emission source and atmospheric conditions. Therefore, accurately accounting for biomass-burning aerosol size in global models requires an effective aerosol size distribution that accounts for this sub-grid evolution and can be derived from available emission-inventory and meteorological parameters. In this paper, we perform a detailed investigation of the effects of coagulation on the aerosol size distribution in biomass-burning plumes. We compare the effect of coagulation to that of OA evaporation and formation. We develop coagulation-only parameterizations for effective biomass-burning size distributions using the SAM-TOMAS large-eddy simulation plume model. For the most-sophisticated parameterization, we use the Gaussian Emulation Machine for Sensitivity Analysis (GEM-SA) to build a parameterization of the aged size distribution based on the SAM-TOMAS output and seven inputs: emission median dry diameter, emission distribution modal width, mass emissions flux, fire area, mean boundary-layer wind speed, plume mixing depth, and time/distance since emission. This parameterization was tested against an independent set of SAM-TOMAS simulations and yields R2 values of 0.83 and 0.89 for Dpm and modal width, respectively. The
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Foray, G.; Descamps-Mandine, A.; R’Mili, M.; Lamon, J.
2012-01-01
The present paper investigates glass fibre flaw size distributions. Two commercial fibre grades (HP and HD) mainly used in cement-based composite reinforcement were studied. Glass fibre fractography is a difficult and time consuming exercise, and thus is seldom carried out. An approach based on tensile tests on multifilament bundles and examination of the fibre surface by atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used. Bundles of more than 500 single filaments each were tested. Thus a statistically significant database of failure data was built up for the HP and HD glass fibres. Gaussian flaw distributions were derived from the filament tensile strength data or extracted from the AFM images. The two distributions were compared. Defect sizes computed from raw AFM images agreed reasonably well with those derived from tensile strength data. Finally, the pertinence of a Gaussian distribution was discussed. The alternative Pareto distribution provided a fair approximation when dealing with AFM flaw size.
Anderson, P J; Wilson, J D; Hiller, F C
1989-07-01
Accurate measurement of cigarette smoke particle size distribution is important for estimation of lung deposition. Most prior investigators have reported a mass median diameter (MMD) in the size range of 0.3 to 0.5 micron, with a small geometric standard deviation (GSD), indicating few ultrafine (less than 0.1 micron) particles. A few studies, however, have suggested the presence of ultrafine particles by reporting a smaller count median diameter (CMD). Part of this disparity may be due tot he inefficiency to previous sizing methods in measuring ultrafine size range, to evaluate size distribution of smoke from standard research cigarettes, commercial filter cigarettes, and from marijuana cigarettes with different delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol contents. Four 35-cm3, 2-s puffs were generated at 60-s intervals, rapidly diluted, and passed through a charge neutralizer and into a 240-L chamber. Size distribution for six cigarettes of each type was measured, CMD and GSD were determined from a computer-generated log probability plot, and MMD was calculated. The size distribution parameters obtained were similar for all cigarettes tested, with an average CMD of 0.1 micron, a MMD of 0.38 micron, and a GSD of 2.0. The MMD found using the EAA is similar to that previously reported, but the CMD is distinctly smaller and the GSD larger, indicating the presence of many more ultrafine particles. These results may explain the disparity of CMD values found in existing data. Ultrafine particles are of toxicologic importance because their respiratory tract deposition is significantly higher than for particles 0.3 to 0.5 micron and because their large surface area facilitates adsorption and delivery of potentially toxic gases to the lung.
Size distribution of radon daughter particles in uranium mine atmospheres
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
George, A.C.; Hinchliffe, L.; Sladowski, R.
1977-07-01
An investigation of the particle size distribution and other properties of radon daughters in uranium mines was reported earlier but only summaries of the data were presented. This report consists mainly of tables of detailed measurements that were omitted in the original article. The tabulated data include the size distributions, uncombined fractions and ratios of radon daughters as well as the working levels, radon concentrations, condensation nuclei concentrations, temperature, and relative humidity. The measurements were made in 27 locations in four large underground mines in New Mexico during typical mining operations. The size distributions of the radon daughters were log normal. The activity median diameters ranged from 0.09 μm to 0.3 μm with a mean of 0.17 μm. Geometric standard deviations were from 1.3 to 4 with a mean of 2.7. Uncombined fractions expressed in accordance with the ICRP definition ranged from 0.004 to 0.16 with a mean of 0.04
Taira, Wataru; Iwasaki, Mayo; Otaki, Joji M.
2015-01-01
The body size of the pale grass blue butterfly, Zizeeria maha, has been used as an environmental indicator of radioactive pollution caused by the Fukushima nuclear accident. However, geographical and temporal size distributions in Japan and temperature effects on size have not been established in this species. Here, we examined the geographical, temporal, and temperature-dependent changes of the forewing size of Z. maha argia in Japan. Butterflies collected in 2012 and 2013 from multiple prefectures throughout Japan demonstrated an inverse relationship of latitude and forewing size, which is the reverse of Bergmann’s cline. The Fukushima population was significantly larger than the Aomori and Miyagi populations and exhibited no difference from most of the other prefectural populations. When monitored at a single geographic locality every other month, forewing sizes were the largest in April and the smallest in August. Rearing larvae at a constant temperature demonstrated that forewing size followed the temperature-size rule. Therefore, the converse Bergmann’s rule and the temperature-size rule coexist in this multivoltine species. Our study establishes this species as a useful environmental indicator and supports the idea that the size reduction observed only in Fukushima Prefecture in 2011 was caused by the environmental stress of radioactive pollution. PMID:26197998
Zook, Justin M; Rastogi, Vinayak; Maccuspie, Robert I; Keene, Athena M; Fagan, Jeffrey
2011-10-25
Agglomeration of nanoparticles during measurements in relevant biological and environmental media is a frequent problem in nanomaterial property characterization. The primary problem is typically that any changes to the size distribution can dramatically affect the potential nanotoxicity or other size-determined properties, such as the absorbance signal in a biosensor measurement. Herein we demonstrate analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) as a powerful method for measuring two critical characteristics of nanoparticle (NP) agglomerates in situ in biological media: the NP agglomerate size distribution, and the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorbance spectrum of precise sizes of gold NP agglomerates. To characterize the size distribution, we present a theoretical framework for calculating the hydrodynamic diameter distribution of NP agglomerates from their sedimentation coefficient distribution. We measure sedimentation rates for monomers, dimers, and trimers, as well as for larger agglomerates with up to 600 NPs. The AUC size distributions were found generally to be broader than the size distributions estimated from dynamic light scattering and diffusion-limited colloidal aggregation theory, an alternative bulk measurement method that relies on several assumptions. In addition, the measured sedimentation coefficients can be used in nanotoxicity studies to predict how quickly the agglomerates sediment out of solution under normal gravitational forces, such as in the environment. We also calculate the absorbance spectra for monomer, dimer, trimer, and larger gold NP agglomerates up to 600 NPs, to enable a better understanding of LSPR biosensors. Finally, we validate a new method that uses these spectra to deconvolute the net absorbance spectrum of an unknown bulk sample and approximate the proportions of monomers, dimers, and trimers in a polydisperse sample of small agglomerates, so that every sample does not need to be measured by AUC. These results
Size and shape of soil humic acids estimated by viscosity and molecular weight.
Kawahigashi, Masayuki; Sumida, Hiroaki; Yamamoto, Kazuhiko
2005-04-15
Ultrafiltration fractions of three soil humic acids were characterized by viscometry and high performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) in order to estimate shapes and hydrodynamic sizes. Intrinsic viscosities under given solute/solvent/temperature conditions were obtained by extrapolating the concentration dependence of reduced viscosities to zero concentration. Molecular mass (weight average molecular weight (M (w)) and number average molecular weight (M (n))) and hydrodynamic radius (R(H)) were determined by HPSEC using pullulan as calibrant. Values of M (w) and M (n) ranged from 15 to 118 x 10(3) and from 9 to 50 x 10(3) (g mol(-1)), respectively. Polydispersity, as indicated by M (w)/M (n), increased with increasing filter size from 1.5 to 2.4. The hydrodynamic radii (R(H)) ranged between 2.2 and 6.4 nm. For each humic acid, M (w) and [eta] were related. Mark-Houwink coefficients calculated on the basis of the M (w)-[eta] relationships suggested restricted flexible chains for two of the humic acids and a branched structure for the third humic acid. Those structures probably behave as hydrated sphere colloids in a good solvent. Hydrodynamic radii of fractions calculated from [eta] using Einstein's equation, which is applicable to hydrated sphere colloids, ranged from 2.2 to 7.1 nm. These dimensions are fit to the size of nanospaces on and between clay minerals and micropores in soil particle aggregates. On the other hand, the good agreement of R(H) values obtained by applying Einstein's equation with those directly determined by HPSEC suggests that pullulan is a suitable calibrant for estimation of molecular mass and size of humic acids by HPSEC.
Pore size distribution effect on rarefied gas transport in porous media
Hori, Takuma; Yoshimoto, Yuta; Takagi, Shu; Kinefuchi, Ikuya
2017-11-01
Gas transport phenomena in porous media are known to strongly influence the performance of devices such as gas separation membranes and fuel cells. Knudsen diffusion is a dominant flow regime in these devices since they have nanoscale pores. Many experiments have shown that these porous media have complex structures and pore size distributions; thus, the diffusion coefficient in these media cannot be easily assessed. Previous studies have reported that the characteristic pore diameter of porous media can be defined in light of the pore size distribution; however, tortuosity factor, which is necessary for the evaluation of diffusion coefficient, is still unknown without gas transport measurements or simulations. Thus, the relation between pore size distributions and tortuosity factors is required to obtain the gas transport properties. We perform numerical simulations to prove the relation between them. Porous media are numerically constructed while satisfying given pore size distributions. Then, the mean-square displacement simulation is performed to obtain the tortuosity factors of the constructed porous media.. This paper is based on results obtained from a project commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Development Organization (NEDO).
The degree distribution of fixed act-size collaboration networks
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
In this paper, we investigate a special evolving model of collaboration net-works, where the act-size is fixed. Based on the first-passage probability of Markov chain theory, this paper provides a rigorous proof for the existence of a limiting degree distribution of this model and proves that the degree distribution obeys the ...
The Size Distribution of Stardust Injected into the ISM
Krueger, D.; Sedlmayr, E.
1996-01-01
A multi-component method for the description of the evolution of the grain size distribution in consideration of a size dependent grain drift and growth rate is applied in order to model dust driven winds around cool C-stars. Grain drift introduces several modifications concerning dust growth: on one hand the residence time in the region of efficient growth is reduced, on the other hand the growth efficiency is higher due to an increased collisional rate. For carbon grains the surface density of radical sites is increased, but on the other hand there is a reduction of the sticking efficiency of the growth species for drift velocities larger than a few km/s. It is found that the consideration of drift results in a considerable distortion of the size distribution as compared to the case of zero drift velocity. Generally, there are less, but larger grains if drift is included.
Species distribution model transferability and model grain size - finer may not always be better.
Manzoor, Syed Amir; Griffiths, Geoffrey; Lukac, Martin
2018-05-08
Species distribution models have been used to predict the distribution of invasive species for conservation planning. Understanding spatial transferability of niche predictions is critical to promote species-habitat conservation and forecasting areas vulnerable to invasion. Grain size of predictor variables is an important factor affecting the accuracy and transferability of species distribution models. Choice of grain size is often dependent on the type of predictor variables used and the selection of predictors sometimes rely on data availability. This study employed the MAXENT species distribution model to investigate the effect of the grain size on model transferability for an invasive plant species. We modelled the distribution of Rhododendron ponticum in Wales, U.K. and tested model performance and transferability by varying grain size (50 m, 300 m, and 1 km). MAXENT-based models are sensitive to grain size and selection of variables. We found that over-reliance on the commonly used bioclimatic variables may lead to less accurate models as it often compromises the finer grain size of biophysical variables which may be more important determinants of species distribution at small spatial scales. Model accuracy is likely to increase with decreasing grain size. However, successful model transferability may require optimization of model grain size.
Spatial and mass distributions of molecular clouds and spiral structure
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kwan, J.; Valdes, F.; National Optical Astronomy Observatories, Tucson, AZ)
1987-01-01
The growth of molecular clouds resulting from cloud-cloud collisions and coalescence in the Galactic ring between 4 and 8 kpc are modeled, taking into account the presence of a spiral potential and the mutual cloud-cloud gravitational attraction. The mean lifetime of molecular clouds is determined to be about 200 million years. The clouds are present in both spiral arm and interarm regions, but a spiral pattern in their spatial distribution is clearly discernible, with the more massive clouds showing a stronger correlation with the spiral arms. As viewed from within the Galactic disk, however, it is very difficult to ascertain that the molecular cloud distribution in longitude-velocity space has a spiral pattern. 19 references
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Durand, O.; Soulard, L. [CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon (France)
2015-04-28
The mass (volume and areal densities) versus velocity as well as the size versus velocity distributions of a shock-induced cloud of particles are investigated using large scale molecular dynamics simulations. A generic three-dimensional tin crystal with a sinusoidal free surface roughness (single wavelength) is set in contact with vacuum and shock-loaded so that it melts directly on shock. At the reflection of the shock wave onto the perturbations of the free surface, two-dimensional sheets/jets of liquid metal are ejected. The simulations show that the distributions may be described by an analytical model based on the propagation of a fragmentation zone, from the tip of the sheets to the free surface, in which the kinetic energy of the atoms decreases as this zone comes closer to the free surface on late times. As this kinetic energy drives (i) the (self-similar) expansion of the zone once it has broken away from the sheet and (ii) the average size of the particles which result from fragmentation in the zone, the ejected mass and the average size of the particles progressively increase in the cloud as fragmentation occurs closer to the free surface. Though relative to nanometric scales, our model may help in the analysis of experimental profiles.
Influence of the molecular structure on indentation size effect in polymers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Han, Chung-Souk
2010-01-01
Size dependent deformation of polymers has been observed by various researchers in various experimental settings including micro beam bending, foams and indentation testing. Here in this article the indentation size effect in polymers is examined which manifests itself in increased hardness at decreasing indentation depths. Based on previously suggested rationale of size dependent deformation and depth dependent hardness model the depth dependent hardness of various polymers are analyzed. It is found that polymers containing aromatic rings in their molecular structure exhibit depth dependent hardness above the micron length scale. For polymers not containing aromatic rings polymers the indentation size effect starts at smaller indentation depths if they are present at all.
Correction of bubble size distributions from transmission electron microscopy observations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kirkegaard, P.; Eldrup, M.; Horsewell, A.; Skov Pedersen, J.
1996-01-01
Observations by transmission electron microscopy of a high density of gas bubbles in a metal matrix yield a distorted size distribution due to bubble overlap and bubble escape from the surface. A model is described that reconstructs 3-dimensional bubble size distributions from 2-dimensional projections on taking these effects into account. Mathematically, the reconstruction is an ill-posed inverse problem, which is solved by regularization technique. Extensive Monte Carlo simulations support the validity of our model. (au) 1 tab., 32 ills., 32 refs
A statistical analysis of North East Atlantic (submicron aerosol size distributions
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
M. Dall'Osto
2011-12-01
Full Text Available The Global Atmospheric Watch research station at Mace Head (Ireland offers the possibility to sample some of the cleanest air masses being imported into Europe as well as some of the most polluted being exported out of Europe. We present a statistical cluster analysis of the physical characteristics of aerosol size distributions in air ranging from the cleanest to the most polluted for the year 2008. Data coverage achieved was 75% throughout the year. By applying the Hartigan-Wong k-Means method, 12 clusters were identified as systematically occurring. These 12 clusters could be further combined into 4 categories with similar characteristics, namely: coastal nucleation category (occurring 21.3 % of the time, open ocean nucleation category (occurring 32.6% of the time, background clean marine category (occurring 26.1% of the time and anthropogenic category (occurring 20% of the time aerosol size distributions. The coastal nucleation category is characterised by a clear and dominant nucleation mode at sizes less than 10 nm while the open ocean nucleation category is characterised by a dominant Aitken mode between 15 nm and 50 nm. The background clean marine aerosol exhibited a clear bimodality in the sub-micron size distribution, with although it should be noted that either the Aitken mode or the accumulation mode may dominate the number concentration. However, peculiar background clean marine size distributions with coarser accumulation modes are also observed during winter months. By contrast, the continentally-influenced size distributions are generally more monomodal (accumulation, albeit with traces of bimodality. The open ocean category occurs more often during May, June and July, corresponding with the North East (NE Atlantic high biological period. Combined with the relatively high percentage frequency of occurrence (32.6%, this suggests that the marine biota is an important source of new nano aerosol particles in NE Atlantic Air.
Global time-size distribution of volcanic eruptions on Earth.
Papale, Paolo
2018-05-01
Volcanic eruptions differ enormously in their size and impacts, ranging from quiet lava flow effusions along the volcano flanks to colossal events with the potential to affect our entire civilization. Knowledge of the time and size distribution of volcanic eruptions is of obvious relevance for understanding the dynamics and behavior of the Earth system, as well as for defining global volcanic risk. From the analysis of recent global databases of volcanic eruptions extending back to more than 2 million years, I show here that the return times of eruptions with similar magnitude follow an exponential distribution. The associated relative frequency of eruptions with different magnitude displays a power law, scale-invariant distribution over at least six orders of magnitude. These results suggest that similar mechanisms subtend to explosive eruptions from small to colossal, raising concerns on the theoretical possibility to predict the magnitude and impact of impending volcanic eruptions.
ON ESTIMATION AND HYPOTHESIS TESTING OF THE GRAIN SIZE DISTRIBUTION BY THE SALTYKOV METHOD
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Yuri Gulbin
2011-05-01
Full Text Available The paper considers the problem of validity of unfolding the grain size distribution with the back-substitution method. Due to the ill-conditioned nature of unfolding matrices, it is necessary to evaluate the accuracy and precision of parameter estimation and to verify the possibility of expected grain size distribution testing on the basis of intersection size histogram data. In order to review these questions, the computer modeling was used to compare size distributions obtained stereologically with those possessed by three-dimensional model aggregates of grains with a specified shape and random size. Results of simulations are reported and ways of improving the conventional stereological techniques are suggested. It is shown that new improvements in estimating and testing procedures enable grain size distributions to be unfolded more efficiently.
Distribution and diversity of cytotypes in Dianthus broteri as evidenced by genome size variations.
Balao, Francisco; Casimiro-Soriguer, Ramón; Talavera, María; Herrera, Javier; Talavera, Salvador
2009-10-01
Studying the spatial distribution of cytotypes and genome size in plants can provide valuable information about the evolution of polyploid complexes. Here, the spatial distribution of cytological races and the amount of DNA in Dianthus broteri, an Iberian carnation with several ploidy levels, is investigated. Sample chromosome counts and flow cytometry (using propidium iodide) were used to determine overall genome size (2C value) and ploidy level in 244 individuals of 25 populations. Both fresh and dried samples were investigated. Differences in 2C and 1Cx values among ploidy levels within biogeographical provinces were tested using ANOVA. Geographical correlations of genome size were also explored. Extensive variation in chromosomes numbers (2n = 2x = 30, 2n = 4x = 60, 2n = 6x = 90 and 2n = 12x =180) was detected, and the dodecaploid cytotype is reported for the first time in this genus. As regards cytotype distribution, six populations were diploid, 11 were tetraploid, three were hexaploid and five were dodecaploid. Except for one diploid population containing some triploid plants (2n = 45), the remaining populations showed a single cytotype. Diploids appeared in two disjunct areas (south-east and south-west), and so did tetraploids (although with a considerably wider geographic range). Dehydrated leaf samples provided reliable measurements of DNA content. Genome size varied significantly among some cytotypes, and also extensively within diploid (up to 1.17-fold) and tetraploid (1.22-fold) populations. Nevertheless, variations were not straightforwardly congruent with ecology and geographical distribution. Dianthus broteri shows the highest diversity of cytotypes known to date in the genus Dianthus. Moreover, some cytotypes present remarkable internal genome size variation. The evolution of the complex is discussed in terms of autopolyploidy, with primary and secondary contact zones.
Large Scale Behavior and Droplet Size Distributions in Crude Oil Jets and Plumes
Katz, Joseph; Murphy, David; Morra, David
2013-11-01
The 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout introduced several million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Injected initially as a turbulent jet containing crude oil and gas, the spill caused formation of a subsurface plume stretching for tens of miles. The behavior of such buoyant multiphase plumes depends on several factors, such as the oil droplet and bubble size distributions, current speed, and ambient stratification. While large droplets quickly rise to the surface, fine ones together with entrained seawater form intrusion layers. Many elements of the physics of droplet formation by an immiscible turbulent jet and their resulting size distribution have not been elucidated, but are known to be significantly influenced by the addition of dispersants, which vary the Weber Number by orders of magnitude. We present experimental high speed visualizations of turbulent jets of sweet petroleum crude oil (MC 252) premixed with Corexit 9500A dispersant at various dispersant to oil ratios. Observations were conducted in a 0.9 m × 0.9 m × 2.5 m towing tank, where large-scale behavior of the jet, both stationary and towed at various speeds to simulate cross-flow, have been recorded at high speed. Preliminary data on oil droplet size and spatial distributions were also measured using a videoscope and pulsed light sheet. Sponsored by Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI).
Chaudhary, Nisha; Dangi, Priya; Khatkar, B S
2016-11-01
A statistical correlation was established among the molecular weight distribution patterns of unreduced gluten proteins and physicochemical, rheological and bread-making quality characteristics of wheat varieties. Size exclusion chromatography fractionated the gluten proteins apparently into five peaks. Peak I signified glutenins (30-130kDa), peak II as gliadins (20-55kDa), peak III as very low molecular weight monomeric gliadins (10-28kDa), peak IV and V, collectively, as albumins and globulins (bread loaf volume (r=0.848(∗∗)); however, peak II had negative (r=-0.818(∗∗)) impact. Bread firmness increased with increment in peak II (r=0.625(∗∗)), and decreased with accretion in peak I (r=-0.623(∗∗)). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
McConnochie, T. H.; Smith, M. D.; Wolff, M. J.; Bender, S. C.; Lemmon, M. T.; Wiens, R. C.; Maurice, S.; Gasnault, O.; Lasue, J.; Meslin, P. Y.; Harri, A. M.; Genzer, M.; Kemppinen, O.; Martinez, G.; DeFlores, L. P.; Blaney, D. L.; Johnson, J. R.; Bell, J. F., III; Trainer, M. G.; Lefèvre, F.; Atreya, S. K.; Mahaffy, P. R.; Wong, M. H.; Franz, H. B.; Guzewich, S.; Villanueva, G. L.; Khayat, A. S.
2017-12-01
The Mars Science Laboratory's (MSL) ChemCam spectrometer measures atmospheric aerosol properties and gas abundances by operating in passive mode and observing scattered sky light at two different elevation angles. We have previously [e. g. 1, 2] presented the methodology and results of these ChemCam Passive Sky observations. Here we will focus on three of the more surprising results that we have obtained: (1) depletion of the column water vapor at Gale Crater relative to that of the surrounding region combined with a strong enhancement of the local column water vapor relative to pre-dawn in-situ measurements, (2) an interannual change in the effective particle size of dust aerosol during the aphelion season, and (3) apparent seasonal and interannual variability in molecular oxygen that differs significantly from the expected behavior of a non-condensable trace gas and differs significantly from global climate model expectations. The ChemCam passive sky water vapor measurements are quite robust but their interpretation depends on the details of measurements as well as on the types of water vapor vertical distributions that can be produced by climate models. We have a high degree of confidence in the dust particle size changes but since aerosol results in general are subject to a variety of potential systematic effects our particle size results would benefit from confirmation by other techniques [c.f. 3]. For the ChemCam passive sky molecular oxygen results we are still working to constrain the uncertainties well enough to confirm the observed surprising behavior, motivated by similarly surprising atmospheric molecular oxygen variability observed by MSL's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument [4]. REFERENCES: [1] McConnochie, et al. (2017), Icarus (submitted). [2] McConnochie, et al. (2017), abstract # 3201, The 6th International Workshop on the Mars Atmosphere: Granada, Spain. [3] Vicente-Retortillo et al. (2017), GRL, 44. [4] Trainer et al. (2017), 2017 AGU Fall
On the size distribution of one-, two- and three-dimensional Voronoi cells
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Marthinsen, K.
1994-03-01
The present report gives a presentation of the different cell size distribution obtained by computer simulations of random Voronoi cell structures in one-, two- and three-dimensional space. The random Voronoi cells are constructed from cell centroids randomly distributed along a string, in the plane and in three-dimensional space, respectively. The size distributions are based on 2-3 · 10 4 cells. For the spacial polyhedra both the distribution of volumes, areas and radii are presented, and the two latter quantities are compared to the distributions of areas and radii from a planar section through the three-dimensional structure as well as to the corresponding distributions obtained from a pure two-dimensional cell structure. 11 refs., 11 figs
Molecular sizes of lichen ice nucleation sites determined by gamma radiation inactivation analysis
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kieft, T.L.; Ruscetti, T.
1992-01-01
It has previously been shown that some species of lichen fungi contain proteinaceous ice nuclei which are active at temperatures as warm as −2 °C. This experiment was undertaken to determine the molecular sizes of ice nuclei in the lichen fungus Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca and to compare them to bacterial ice nuclei from Pseudomonas syringae. Gamma radiation inactivation analysis was used to determine molecular weights. Radiation inactivation analysis is based on target theory, which states that the likelihood of a molecule being inactivated by gamma rays increases as its size increases. Three different sources of ice nuclei from the lichen R. chrysoleuca were tested: field-collected lichens, extract of lichen fungus, and a pure culture of the fungus R. chrysoleuca. P. syringae strain Cit7 was used as a source of bacterial ice nuclei. Samples were lyophilized, irradiated with gamma doses ranging from 0 to 10.4 Mrads, and then tested for ice nucleation activity using a droplet-freezing assay. Data for all four types of samples were in rough agreement; sizes of nucleation sites increased logarithmically with increasing temperatures of ice nucleation activity. Molecular weights of nucleation sites active between −3 and −4 °C from the bacteria and from the field-collected lichens were approximately 1.0 × 10 6 Da. Nuclei from the lichen fungus and in the lichen extract appeared to be slightly smaller but followed the same log-normal pattern with temperature of ice nucleation activity. The data for both the bacterial and lichen ice nuclei are in agreement with ice nucleation theory which states that the size of ice nucleation sites increases logarithmically as the temperature of nucleation increases linearly. This suggests that although some differences exist between bacterial and lichen ice nucleation sites, their molecular sizes are quite similar
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Alger, T.W.
1979-01-01
A new method for determining the particle-size-distribution function of a polydispersion of spherical particles is presented. The inversion technique for the particle-size-distribution function is based upon matching the measured intensity profile of angularly scattered light with a summation of the intensity contributions of a series of appropriately spaced, narrowband, size-distribution functions. A numerical optimization technique is used to determine the strengths of the individual bands that yield the best agreement with the measured scattered-light-intensity profile. Because Mie theory is used, the method is applicable to spherical particles of all sizes. Several numerical examples demonstrate the application of this inversion method
Thermal and particle size distribution effects on the ferromagnetic resonance in magnetic fluids
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Marin, C.N.
2006-01-01
Thermal and particle size distribution effects on the ferromagnetic resonance of magnetic fluids were theoretically investigated, assuming negligible interparticle interactions and neglecting the viscosity of the carrier liquid. The model is based on the usual approach for the ferromagnetic resonance description of single-domain magnetic particle systems, which was amended in order to take into account the finite particle size effect, the particle size distribution and the orientation mobility of the particles within the magnetic fluid. Under these circumstances the shape of the resonance line, the resonance field and the line width are found to be strongly affected by the temperature and by the particle size distribution of magnetic fluids
Hakjun Rhee; Randy B. Foltz; James L. Fridley; Finn Krogstad; Deborah S. Page-Dumroese
2014-01-01
Measurement of particle-size distribution (PSD) of soil with large-sized particles (e.g., 25.4 mm diameter) requires a large sample and numerous particle-size analyses (PSAs). A new method is needed that would reduce time, effort, and cost for PSAs of the soil and aggregate material with large-sized particles. We evaluated a nested method for sampling and PSA by...
Effect of head size on 10B dose distribution
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gupta, N.; Blue, T.E.; Gahbauer, R.
1992-01-01
Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for treatment of brain tumors is based on the utilization of large epithermal-neutron fields. Epithermal neutrons thermalize at depths of ∼2.5 cm inside the head and provide a maximum thermal fluence at deep-seated tumor sites with minimum damage to normal tissue. Brain tissue is a highly scattering medium for epithermal and thermal neutrons; therefore, a broad treatment field enables epithermal neutrons to enter the head over a large area. These neutrons slow down as they undergo scattering collisions and contribute to the thermal-neutron fluence at the tumor location. With the use of large neutron fields, the size of the head affects the thermal-neutron distribution and thereby the 10 B absorbed dose distribution inside the head. In this paper, the authors describe measurements using a boron trifluoride (BF 3 )-filled proportional counter to determine the effect of head size on 10 B absorbed dose distributions for a broad field accelerator epithermal-neutron source
Rock sampling. [method for controlling particle size distribution
Blum, P. (Inventor)
1971-01-01
A method for sampling rock and other brittle materials and for controlling resultant particle sizes is described. The method involves cutting grooves in the rock surface to provide a grouping of parallel ridges and subsequently machining the ridges to provide a powder specimen. The machining step may comprise milling, drilling, lathe cutting or the like; but a planing step is advantageous. Control of the particle size distribution is effected primarily by changing the height and width of these ridges. This control exceeds that obtainable by conventional grinding.
Size distribution of radon daughter particles in uranium mine atmospheres
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
George, A.C.; Hinchliffe, L.; Sladowski, R.
1975-01-01
The size distribution of radon daughters was measured in several uranium mines using four compact diffusion batteries and a round jet cascade impactor. Simultaneously, measurements were made of uncombined fractions of radon daughters, radon concentration, working level, and particle concentration. The size distributions found for radon daughters were log normal. The activity median diameters ranged from 0.09 μm to 0.3 μm with a mean value of 0.17 μm. Geometric standard deviations were in the range from 1.3 to 4 with a mean value of 2.7. Uncombined fractions expressed in accordance with the ICRP definition ranged from 0.004 to 0.16 with a mean value of 0.04. The radon daughter sizes in these mines are greater than the sizes assumed by various authors in calculating respiratory tract dose. The disparity may reflect the widening use of diesel-powered equipment in large uranium mines. (U.S.)
Connection between the growth rate distribution and the size dependent crystal growth
Mitrović, M. M.; Žekić, A. A.; IIić, Z. Z.
2002-07-01
The results of investigations of the connection between the growth rate dispersions and the size dependent crystal growth of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP), Rochelle salt (RS) and sodium chlorate (SC) are presented. A possible way out of the existing confusion in the size dependent crystal growth investigations is suggested. It is shown that the size independent growth exists if the crystals belonging to one growth rate distribution maximum are considered separately. The investigations suggest possible reason for the observed distribution maxima widths, and the high data scattering on the growth rate versus the crystal size dependence.
Zevenhuizen, L P; van Veldhuizen, A; Fokkens, R H
1990-04-01
Gel-filtration and thin layer chromatography of low molecular weight carbohydrates from culture filtrates of Agrobacterium radiobacter, Isolate II, have shown, that next to the neutral beta-1,2-glucan fraction a major acidic fraction was present which was found to be glycerophosphorylated cyclic beta-1,2-glucans. Re-examination of cyclic beta-1,2-glucan preparations which had been obtained by extraction of Rhizobium cells with hot phenol-water also showed these acidic modified beta-1,2-glucans to be present. Cyclic beta-1,2-glucans from R. leguminosarum (9 strains) and of R. phaseoli (1 strain) had ring size distribution with degrees of polymerisation (DPs) of 19 and 20 as major ring sizes of which a minor part was glycerophosphorylated; beta-1,2-glucans of R. trifolii (3 strains) had ring sizes with DPs measuring 19-22 as prominent components which were largely unsubstituted, and R. meliloti (7 strains) had beta-1,2-glucans with ring size distributions extending to still higher DPs of 19-25 of which the major part appeared to be glycerophosphorylated.
Grulke, Eric A.; Wu, Xiaochun; Ji, Yinglu; Buhr, Egbert; Yamamoto, Kazuhiro; Song, Nam Woong; Stefaniak, Aleksandr B.; Schwegler-Berry, Diane; Burchett, Woodrow W.; Lambert, Joshua; Stromberg, Arnold J.
2018-04-01
Size and shape distributions of gold nanorod samples are critical to their physico-chemical properties, especially their longitudinal surface plasmon resonance. This interlaboratory comparison study developed methods for measuring and evaluating size and shape distributions for gold nanorod samples using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. The objective was to determine whether two different samples, which had different performance attributes in their application, were different with respect to their size and/or shape descriptor distributions. Touching particles in the captured images were identified using a ruggedness shape descriptor. Nanorods could be distinguished from nanocubes using an elongational shape descriptor. A non-parametric statistical test showed that cumulative distributions of an elongational shape descriptor, that is, the aspect ratio, were statistically different between the two samples for all laboratories. While the scale parameters of size and shape distributions were similar for both samples, the width parameters of size and shape distributions were statistically different. This protocol fulfills an important need for a standardized approach to measure gold nanorod size and shape distributions for applications in which quantitative measurements and comparisons are important. Furthermore, the validated protocol workflow can be automated, thus providing consistent and rapid measurements of nanorod size and shape distributions for researchers, regulatory agencies, and industry.
Improved Root Normal Size Distributions for Liquid Atomization
2015-11-01
ANSI Std. Z39.18 j CONVERSION TABLE Conversion Factors for U.S. Customary to metric (SI) units of measurement. MULTIPLY BY TO...Gray (Gy) coulomb /kilogram (C/kg) second (s) kilogram (kg) kilo pascal (kPa) 1 Improved Root Normal Size Distributions for Liquid
Experimental equivalent cluster-size distributions in nano-metric volumes of liquid water
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Grosswendt, B.; De Nardo, L.; Colautti, P.; Pszona, S.; Conte, V.; Tornielli, G.
2004-01-01
Ionisation cluster-size distributions in nano-metric volumes of liquid water were determined for alpha particles at 4.6 and 5.4 MeV by measuring cluster-size frequencies in small gaseous volumes of nitrogen or propane at low gas pressure as well as by applying a suitable scaling procedure. This scaling procedure was based on the mean free ionisation lengths of alpha particles in water and in the gases measured. For validation, the measurements of cluster sizes in gaseous volumes and the cluster-size formation in volumes of liquid water of equivalent size were simulated by Monte Carlo methods. The experimental water-equivalent cluster-size distributions in nitrogen and propane are compared with those in liquid water and show that cluster-size formation by alpha particles in nitrogen or propane can directly be related to those in liquid water. (authors)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhang, R.L.; Liu, Y.; Huang, Y.D.; Liu, L.
2013-01-01
Effect of particle size and distribution of the sizing agent on the performance of carbon fiber and carbon fiber composites has been investigated. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize carbon fiber surface topographies. At the same time, the single fiber strength and Weibull distribution were also studied in order to investigate the effect of coatings on the fibers. The interfacial shear strength and hygrothermal aging of the carbon fiber/epoxy resin composites were also measured. The results indicated that the particle size and distribution is important for improving the surface of carbon fibers and its composites performance. Different particle size and distribution of sizing agent has different contribution to the wetting performance of carbon fibers. The fibers sized with P-2 had higher value of IFSS and better hygrothermal aging resistant properties.
AFD: an application for bi-molecular interaction using axial frequency distribution.
Raza, Saad; Azam, Syed Sikander
2018-03-06
Conformational flexibility and generalized structural features are responsible for specific phenomena existing in biological pathways. With advancements in computational chemistry, novel approaches and new methods are required to compare the dynamic nature of biomolecules, which are crucial not only to address dynamic functional relationships but also to gain detailed insights into the disturbance and positional fluctuation responsible for functional shifts. Keeping this in mind, axial frequency distribution (AFD) has been developed, designed, and implemented. AFD can profoundly represent distribution and density of ligand atom around a particular atom or set of atoms. It enabled us to obtain an explanation of local movements and rotations, which are not significantly highlighted by any other structural and dynamical parameters. AFD can be implemented on biological models representing ligand and protein interactions. It shows a comprehensive view of the binding pattern of ligand by exploring the distribution of atoms relative to the x-y plane of the system. By taking a relative centroid on protein or ligand, molecular interactions like hydrogen bonds, van der Waals, polar or ionic interaction can be analyzed to cater the ligand movement, stabilization or flexibility with respect to the protein. The AFD graph resulted in the residual depiction of bi-molecular interaction in gradient form which can yield specific information depending upon the system of interest.
X-ray diffraction microstructural analysis of bimodal size distribution MgO nano powder
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Suminar Pratapa; Budi Hartono
2009-01-01
Investigation on the characteristics of x-ray diffraction data for MgO powdered mixture of nano and sub-nano particles has been carried out to reveal the crystallite-size-related microstructural information. The MgO powders were prepared by co-precipitation method followed by heat treatment at 500 degree Celsius and 1200 degree Celsius for 1 hour, being the difference in the temperature was to obtain two powders with distinct crystallite size and size-distribution. The powders were then blended in air to give the presumably bimodal-size- distribution MgO nano powder. High-quality laboratory X-ray diffraction data for the powders were collected and then analysed using Rietveld-based MAUD software using the lognormal size distribution. Results show that the single-mode powders exhibit spherical crystallite size (R) of 20(1) nm and 160(1) nm for the 500 degree Celsius and 1200 degree Celsius data respectively with the nano metric powder displays narrower crystallite size distribution character, indicated by lognormal dispersion parameter of 0.21 as compared to 0.01 for the sub-nano metric powder. The mixture exhibits relatively more asymmetric peak broadening. Analysing the x-ray diffraction data for the latter specimen using single phase approach give unrealistic results. Introducing two phase models for the double-phase mixture to accommodate the bimodal-size-distribution characteristics give R = 100(6) and σ = 0.62 for the nano metric phase and R = 170(5) and σ= 0.12 for the σ sub-nano metric phase. (author)
Chen, Michael Y; Hoffer, Alan; Morrison, Paul F; Hamilton, John F; Hughes, Jeffrey; Schlageter, Kurt S; Lee, Jeongwu; Kelly, Brandon R; Oldfield, Edward H
2005-08-01
Achieving distribution of gene-carrying vectors is a major barrier to the clinical application of gene therapy. Because of the blood-brain barrier, the distribution of genetic vectors to the central nervous system (CNS) is even more challenging than delivery to other tissues. Direct intraparenchymal microinfusion, a minimally invasive technique, uses bulk flow (convection) to distribute suspensions of macromolecules widely through the extracellular space (convection-enhanced delivery [CED]). Although acute injection into solid tissue is often used for delivery of oligonucleotides, viruses, and liposomes, and there is preliminary evidence that certain of these large particles can spread through the interstitial space of the brain by the use of convection, the use of CED for distribution of viruses in the brain has not been systematically examined. That is the goal of this study. Investigators used a rodent model to examine the influence of size, osmolarity of buffering solutions, and surface coating on the volumetric distribution of virus-sized nanoparticles and viruses (adeno-associated viruses and adenoviruses) in the gray matter of the brain. The results demonstrate that channels in the extracellular space of gray matter in the brain are large enough to accommodate virus-sized particles and that the surface characteristics are critical determinants for distribution of viruses in the brain by convection. These results indicate that convective distribution can be used to distribute therapeutic viral vectors in the CNS.
Coulomb Mechanics And Landscape Geometry Explain Landslide Size Distribution
Jeandet, L.; Steer, P.; Lague, D.; Davy, P.
2017-12-01
It is generally observed that the dimensions of large bedrock landslides follow power-law scaling relationships. In particular, the non-cumulative frequency distribution (PDF) of bedrock landslide area is well characterized by a negative power-law above a critical size, with an exponent 2.4. However, the respective role of bedrock mechanical properties, landscape shape and triggering mechanisms on the scaling properties of landslide dimensions are still poorly understood. Yet, unravelling the factors that control this distribution is required to better estimate the total volume of landslides triggered by large earthquakes or storms. To tackle this issue, we develop a simple probabilistic 1D approach to compute the PDF of rupture depths in a given landscape. The model is applied to randomly sampled points along hillslopes of studied digital elevation models. At each point location, the model determines the range of depth and angle leading to unstable rupture planes, by applying a simple Mohr-Coulomb rupture criterion only to the rupture planes that intersect downhill surface topography. This model therefore accounts for both rock mechanical properties, friction and cohesion, and landscape shape. We show that this model leads to realistic landslide depth distribution, with a power-law arising when the number of samples is high enough. The modeled PDF of landslide size obtained for several landscapes match the ones from earthquakes-driven landslides catalogues for the same landscape. In turn, this allows us to invert landslide effective mechanical parameters, friction and cohesion, associated to those specific events, including Chi-Chi, Wenchuan, Niigata and Gorkha earthquakes. The cohesion and friction ranges (25-35 degrees and 5-20 kPa) are in good agreement with previously inverted values. Our results demonstrate that reduced complexity mechanics is efficient to model the distribution of unstable depths, and show the role of landscape variability in landslide size
Fridlind, A. M.; Atlas, R.; van Diedenhoven, B.; Ackerman, A. S.; Rind, D. H.; Harrington, J. Y.; McFarquhar, G. M.; Um, J.; Jackson, R.; Lawson, P.
2017-12-01
It has recently been suggested that seeding synoptic cirrus could have desirable characteristics as a geoengineering approach, but surprisingly large uncertainties remain in the fundamental parameters that govern cirrus properties, such as mass accommodation coefficient, ice crystal physical properties, aggregation efficiency, and ice nucleation rate from typical upper tropospheric aerosol. Only one synoptic cirrus model intercomparison study has been published to date, and studies that compare the shapes of observed and simulated ice size distributions remain sparse. Here we amend a recent model intercomparison setup using observations during two 2010 SPARTICUS campaign flights. We take a quasi-Lagrangian column approach and introduce an ensemble of gravity wave scenarios derived from collocated Doppler cloud radar retrievals of vertical wind speed. We use ice crystal properties derived from in situ cloud particle images, for the first time allowing smoothly varying and internally consistent treatments of nonspherical ice capacitance, fall speed, gravitational collection, and optical properties over all particle sizes in our model. We test two new parameterizations for mass accommodation coefficient as a function of size, temperature and water vapor supersaturation, and several ice nucleation scenarios. Comparison of results with in situ ice particle size distribution data, corrected using state-of-the-art algorithms to remove shattering artifacts, indicate that poorly constrained uncertainties in the number concentration of crystals smaller than 100 µm in maximum dimension still prohibit distinguishing which parameter combinations are more realistic. When projected area is concentrated at such sizes, the only parameter combination that reproduces observed size distribution properties uses a fixed mass accommodation coefficient of 0.01, on the low end of recently reported values. No simulations reproduce the observed abundance of such small crystals when the
Particles size distribution effect on 3D packing of nanoparticles in to a bounded region
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Farzalipour Tabriz, M.; Salehpoor, P.; Esmaielzadeh Kandjani, A.; Vaezi, M. R.; Sadrnezhaad, S. K.
2007-01-01
In this paper, the effects of two different Particle Size Distributions on packing behavior of ideal rigid spherical nanoparticles using a novel packing model based on parallel algorithms have been reported. A mersenne twister algorithm was used to generate pseudo random numbers for the particles initial coordinates. Also, for this purpose a nano sized tetragonal confined container with a square floor (300 * 300 nm) were used in this work. The Andreasen and the Lognormal Particle Size Distributions were chosen to investigate the packing behavior in a 3D bounded region. The effects of particle numbers on packing behavior of these two Particle Size Distributions have been investigated. Also the reproducibility and the distribution of packing factor of these Particle Size Distributions were compared
Goudeli, Eirini; Eggersdorfer, Maximilian L; Pratsinis, Sotiris E
2015-02-03
Agglomeration occurs in environmental and industrial processes, especially at low temperatures where particle sintering or coalescence is rather slow. Here, the growth and structure of particles undergoing agglomeration (coagulation in the absence of coalescence, condensation, or surface growth) are investigated from the free molecular to the continuum regime by discrete element modeling (DEM). Particles coagulating in the free molecular regime follow ballistic trajectories described by an event-driven method, whereas in the near-continuum (gas-slip) and continuum regimes, Langevin dynamics describe their diffusive motion. Agglomerates containing about 10-30 primary particles, on the average, attain their asymptotic fractal dimension, D(f), of 1.91 or 1.78 by ballistic or diffusion-limited cluster-cluster agglomeration, corresponding to coagulation in the free molecular or continuum regimes, respectively. A correlation is proposed for the asymptotic evolution of agglomerate D(f) as a function of the average number of constituent primary particles, n̅(p). Agglomerates exhibit considerably broader self-preserving size distribution (SPSD) by coagulation than spherical particles: the number-based geometric standard deviations of the SPSD agglomerate radius of gyration in the free molecular and continuum regimes are 2.27 and 1.95, respectively, compared to ∼1.45 for spheres. In the transition regime, agglomerates exhibit a quasi-SPSD whose geometric standard deviation passes through a minimum at Knudsen number Kn ≈ 0.2. In contrast, the asymptotic D(f) shifts linearly from 1.91 in the free molecular regime to 1.78 in the continuum regime. Population balance models using the radius of gyration as collision radius underestimate (up to about 80%) the small tail of the SPSD and slightly overpredict the overall agglomerate coagulation rate, as they do not account for cluster interpenetration during coagulation. In the continuum regime, when a recently developed
Grain Size Distribution in Mudstones: A Question of Nature vs. Nurture
Schieber, J.
2011-12-01
Grain size distribution in mudstones is affected by the composition of the source material, the processes of transport and deposition, and post-depositional diagenetic modification. With regard to source, it does make a difference whether for example a slate belt is eroded vs a stable craton. The former setting tends to provide a broad range of detrital quartz in the sub 62 micron size range in addition to clays and greenschist grade rock fragments, whereas the latter may be biased towards coarser quartz silt (30-60 microns), in addition to clays and mica flakes. In flume experiments, when fine grained materials are transported in turbulent flows at velocities that allow floccules to transfer to bedload, a systematic shift of grain size distribution towards an increasingly finer grained suspended load is observed as velocity is lowered. This implies that the bedload floccules are initially constructed of only the coarsest clay particles at high velocities, and that finer clay particles become incorporated into floccules as velocity is lowered. Implications for the rock record are that clay beds deposited from decelerating flows should show subtle internal grading of coarser clay particles; and that clay beds deposited from continuous fast flows should show a uniform distribution of coarse clays. Still water settled clays should show a well developed lower (coarser) and upper (finer) subdivision. A final complication arises when diagenetic processes, such as the dissolution of biogenic silica, give rise to diagenetic quartz grains in the silt to sand size range. This diagenetic silica precipitates in fossil cavities and pore spaces of uncompacted muds, and on casual inspection can be mistaken for detrital quartz. In distal mudstone successions close to 100 % of "apparent" quartz silt can be of that origin, and reworking by bottom currents can further enhance a detrital perception by producing rippled and laminated silt beds. Although understanding how size
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sahu, Manoranjan; Biswas, Pratim
2010-01-01
Size distributions of nanoparticles in the vicinity of synthesis reactors will provide guidelines for safe operation and protection of workers. Nanoparticle concentrations and size distributions were measured in a research academic laboratory environment with two different types of gas-phase synthesis reactors under a variety of operating conditions. The variation of total particle number concentration and size distribution at different distances from the reactor, off-design state of the fume hood, powder handling during recovery, and maintenance of reactors are established. Significant increases in number concentration were observed at all the locations during off-design conditions (i.e., failure of the exhaust system). Clearance of nanoparticles from the work environment was longer under off-design conditions (20 min) compared to that under normal hood operating conditions (4-6 min). While lower particle number concentrations are observed during operation of furnace aerosol reactors in comparison to flame aerosol reactors, the handling, processing, and maintenance operations result in elevated concentrations in the work area.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tang Hong; Lin Jianzhong
2013-01-01
The moment method can be used to determine the time evolution of particle size distribution due to Brownian coagulation based on the general dynamic equation (GDE). But the function form of the initial particle size distribution must be determined beforehand for the moment method. If the assumed function type of the initial particle size distribution has an obvious deviation from the true particle population, the evolution of particle size distribution may be different from the real evolution tendency. Thus, a simple and general method is proposed based on the moment method. In this method, the Johnson's S B function is chosen as a general distribution function to fit the initial distributions including the log normal (L-N), Rosin–Rammler (R-R), normal (N-N) and gamma distribution functions, respectively. Meanwhile, using the modified beta function to fit the L-N, R-R, N-N and gamma functions is also conducted as a comparison in order to present the advantage of the Johnson's S B function as the general distribution function. And then, the time evolution of particle size distributions using the Johnson's S B function as the initial distribution can be obtained by several lower order moment equations of the Johnson's S B function in conjunction with the GDE during the Brownian coagulation process. Simulation experiments indicate that fairly reasonable results of the time evolution of particle size distribution can be obtained with this proposed method in the free molecule regime, transition regime and continuum plus near continuum regime, respectively, at the early time stage of evolution. The Johnson's S B function has the ability of describing the early time evolution of different initial particle size distributions. (paper)
application of ant colony optimisation in distribution transformer sizing
African Journals Online (AJOL)
HP
Keywords: ant colony, optimization, transformer sizing, distribution transformer. 1. INTRODUCTION ... more intensive pheromone and higher probability to be chosen [12]. ..... pp.29-41, 1996. [7] EC global market place, “Technical Parameters”,.
Chen, Xiaowei; Wang, Wenping; Wan, Min
2013-12-01
It is essential to calculate magnetic force in the process of studying electromagnetic flat sheet forming. Calculating magnetic force is the basis of analyzing the sheet deformation and optimizing technical parameters. Magnetic force distribution on the sheet can be obtained by numerical simulation of electromagnetic field. In contrast to other computing methods, the method of numerical simulation has some significant advantages, such as higher calculation accuracy, easier using and other advantages. In this paper, in order to study of magnetic force distribution on the small size flat sheet in electromagnetic forming when flat round spiral coil, flat rectangular spiral coil and uniform pressure coil are adopted, the 3D finite element models are established by software ANSYS/EMAG. The magnetic force distribution on the sheet are analyzed when the plane geometries of sheet are equal or less than the coil geometries under fixed discharge impulse. The results showed that when the physical dimensions of sheet are less than the corresponding dimensions of the coil, the variation of induced current channel width on the sheet will cause induced current crowding effect that seriously influence the magnetic force distribution, and the degree of inhomogeneity of magnetic force distribution is increase nearly linearly with the variation of induced current channel width; the small size uniform pressure coil will produce approximately uniform magnetic force distribution on the sheet, but the coil is easy to early failure; the desirable magnetic force distribution can be achieved when the unilateral placed flat rectangular spiral coil is adopted, and this program can be take as preferred one, because the longevity of flat rectangular spiral coil is longer than the working life of small size uniform pressure coil.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tang, Hong; Lin, Jian-Zhong
2013-01-01
An improved anomalous diffraction approximation (ADA) method is presented for calculating the extinction efficiency of spheroids firstly. In this approach, the extinction efficiency of spheroid particles can be calculated with good accuracy and high efficiency in a wider size range by combining the Latimer method and the ADA theory, and this method can present a more general expression for calculating the extinction efficiency of spheroid particles with various complex refractive indices and aspect ratios. Meanwhile, the visible spectral extinction with varied spheroid particle size distributions and complex refractive indices is surveyed. Furthermore, a selection principle about the spectral extinction data is developed based on PCA (principle component analysis) of first derivative spectral extinction. By calculating the contribution rate of first derivative spectral extinction, the spectral extinction with more significant features can be selected as the input data, and those with less features is removed from the inversion data. In addition, we propose an improved Tikhonov iteration method to retrieve the spheroid particle size distributions in the independent mode. Simulation experiments indicate that the spheroid particle size distributions obtained with the proposed method coincide fairly well with the given distributions, and this inversion method provides a simple, reliable and efficient method to retrieve the spheroid particle size distributions from the spectral extinction data. -- Highlights: ► Improved ADA is presented for calculating the extinction efficiency of spheroids. ► Selection principle about spectral extinction data is developed based on PCA. ► Improved Tikhonov iteration method is proposed to retrieve the spheroid PSD.
Guzmán-de la Garza, Francisco J; González Ayala, Alejandra E; Gómez Nava, Marisol; Martínez Monsiváis, Leislie I; Salinas Martínez, Ana M; Ramírez López, Erik; Mathiew Quirós, Alvaro; Garcia Quintanilla, Francisco
2017-09-10
The main aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that body frame size is related to the amount of fat in different adipose tissue depots and to fat distribution in schoolchildren. Children aged between 5 and 10 years were included in this cross-sectional study (n = 565). Body frame size, adiposity markers (anthropometric, skinfolds thickness, and ultrasound measures), and fat distribution indices were analyzed. Correlation coefficients adjusted by reliability were estimated and analyzed by sex; the significance of the difference between two correlation coefficients was assessed using the Fisher z-transformation. The sample included primarily urban children; 58.6% were normal weight, 16.1% overweight, 19.6% obese, and the rest were underweight. Markers of subcutaneous adiposity, fat mass and fat-free mass, and preperitoneal adiposity showed higher and significant correlations with the sum of the biacromial + bitrochanteric diameter than with the elbow diameter, regardless of sex. The fat distribution conicity index presented significant but weak correlations; and visceral adipose tissue, hepatic steatosis, and the waist-for-hip ratio were not significantly correlated with body frame size measures. Body frame size in school children was related to the amount of adipose tissue in different depots, but not adipose distribution. More studies are needed to confirm this relationship and its importance to predict changes in visceral fat deposition during growth. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Particle size distribution measurements of radionuclides from Chernobyl
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Georgi, B.; Tschiersch, J.
1988-01-01
Characteristics of the size distribution of the Chernobyl aerosol have been measured at four locations along the trajectory of the cloud. Changes in time and differences between 131 I and the other isotopes are explained by aerosol physical processes. The relevance of the measurements for dose calculations are discussed
THE 'TRUE' COLUMN DENSITY DISTRIBUTION IN STAR-FORMING MOLECULAR CLOUDS
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Goodman, Alyssa A.; Pineda, Jaime E.; Schnee, Scott L.
2009-01-01
We use the COMPLETE Survey's observations of the Perseus star-forming region to assess and intercompare the three methods used for measuring column density in molecular clouds: near-infrared (NIR) extinction mapping; thermal emission mapping in the far-IR; and mapping the intensity of CO isotopologues. Overall, the structures shown by all three tracers are morphologically similar, but important differences exist among the tracers. We find that the dust-based measures (NIR extinction and thermal emission) give similar, log-normal, distributions for the full (∼20 pc scale) Perseus region, once careful calibration corrections are made. We also compare dust- and gas-based column density distributions for physically meaningful subregions of Perseus, and we find significant variations in the distributions for those (smaller, ∼few pc scale) regions. Even though we have used 12 CO data to estimate excitation temperatures, and we have corrected for opacity, the 13 CO maps seem unable to give column distributions that consistently resemble those from dust measures. We have edited out the effects of the shell around the B-star HD 278942 from the column density distribution comparisons. In that shell's interior and in the parts where it overlaps the molecular cloud, there appears to be a dearth of 13 CO, which is likely due either to 13 CO not yet having had time to form in this young structure and/or destruction of 13 CO in the molecular cloud by the HD 278942's wind and/or radiation. We conclude that the use of either dust or gas measures of column density without extreme attention to calibration (e.g., of thermal emission zero-levels) and artifacts (e.g., the shell) is more perilous than even experts might normally admit. And, the use of 13 CO data to trace total column density in detail, even after proper calibration, is unavoidably limited in utility due to threshold, depletion, and opacity effects. If one's main aim is to map column density (rather than temperature
Determination of the particle size distribution of aerosols by means of a diffusion battery
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Maigne, J.P.
1978-09-01
The different methods allowing to determine the particle size distribution of aerosols by means of diffusion batteries are described. To that purpose, a new method for the processing of experimental data (percentages of particles trapped by the battery vs flow rate) was developed on the basis of calculation principles which are described and assessed. This method was first tested by numerical simulation from a priori particle size distributions and then verified experimentally using a fine uranine aerosol whose particle size distribution as determined by our method was compared with the distribution previously obtained by electron microscopy. The method can be applied to the determination of particle size distribution spectra of fine aerosols produced by 'radiolysis' of atmospheric gaseous impurities. Two other applications concern the detection threshold of the condensation nuclei counter and the 'critical' radii of 'radiolysis' particles [fr
Chen, Tai-Yen; Jung, Won; Santiago, Ace George; Yang, Feng; Krzemiński, Łukasz; Chen, Peng
2015-11-12
Single-molecule tracking (SMT) of fluorescently tagged cytoplasmic proteins can provide valuable information on the underlying biological processes in living cells via subsequent analysis of the displacement distributions; however, the confinement effect originated from the small size of a bacterial cell skews the protein's displacement distribution and complicates the quantification of the intrinsic diffusive behaviors. Using the inverse transformation method, we convert the skewed displacement distribution (for both 2D and 3D imaging conditions) back to that in free space for systems containing one or multiple (non)interconverting Brownian diffusion states, from which we can reliably extract the number of diffusion states as well as their intrinsic diffusion coefficients and respective fractional populations. We further demonstrate a successful application to experimental SMT data of a transcription factor in living E. coli cells. This work allows a direct quantitative connection between cytoplasmic SMT data with diffusion theory for analyzing molecular diffusive behavior in live bacteria.
Exact, time-independent estimation of clone size distributions in normal and mutated cells.
Roshan, A; Jones, P H; Greenman, C D
2014-10-06
Biological tools such as genetic lineage tracing, three-dimensional confocal microscopy and next-generation DNA sequencing are providing new ways to quantify the distribution of clones of normal and mutated cells. Understanding population-wide clone size distributions in vivo is complicated by multiple cell types within observed tissues, and overlapping birth and death processes. This has led to the increased need for mathematically informed models to understand their biological significance. Standard approaches usually require knowledge of clonal age. We show that modelling on clone size independent of time is an alternative method that offers certain analytical advantages; it can help parametrize these models, and obtain distributions for counts of mutated or proliferating cells, for example. When applied to a general birth-death process common in epithelial progenitors, this takes the form of a gambler's ruin problem, the solution of which relates to counting Motzkin lattice paths. Applying this approach to mutational processes, alternative, exact, formulations of classic Luria-Delbrück-type problems emerge. This approach can be extended beyond neutral models of mutant clonal evolution. Applications of these approaches are twofold. First, we resolve the probability of progenitor cells generating proliferating or differentiating progeny in clonal lineage tracing experiments in vivo or cell culture assays where clone age is not known. Second, we model mutation frequency distributions that deep sequencing of subclonal samples produce.
Köser, O; Wriedt, T
1996-05-20
Using phase Doppler anemometry (PDA) to investigate sprays of optically inhomogeneous liquids leads to blurred measured size distributions. The blurring function is formed by performance of PDA measurements on single-size droplets generated by a piezoelectric droplet generator. To obtain the undistorted droplet-size distributions, a constrained iterative inversion algorithm is applied. The number of iteration steps to achieve the best possible restoration is determined by the use of synthetically generated data that has noise properties similar to the measured histograms. The obtained size distributions are checked by comparison with undistorted measurement results of an atomized optical homogeneous liquid.
SIZE REDUCTION OF ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR CHAMBER BY MODIFICATION OF GAS FLOW DISTRIBUTION
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Beata Sładkowska-Rybka
2014-10-01
Full Text Available Electrostatic precipitators (ESP are one of the most effective devices for particulate emission control, removing from the exhaust gases even 99,9 % of dust particles. The collection efficiency of the ESP depends on a number of factors: mechanical design and electrical operating parameters, physical and chemical properties of cleaned gas, characteristic of dust particles suspended in the gas. Among the most important factors affecting the ESP effectiveness, the velocity and the distribution of gas flow in the ESP chamber should be also indicated. Significant increase in ESP efficiency is possible thanks to the application of Skewed Gas Flow Technology (SGFT. In this paper the computer simulations results are shown. Authors investigated the possibility of ESP chamber size reduction by modification of gas flow distribution.
Rakha, Allah; Aman, Per; Andersson, Roger
2011-01-01
Extractable dietary fiber (DF) plays an important role in nutrition. This study on porridge making with whole grain rye investigated the effect of rest time of flour slurries at room temperature before cooking and amount of flour and salt in the recipe on the content of DF components and molecular weight distribution of extractable fructan, mixed linkage (1→3)(1→4)-β-d-glucan (β-glucan) and arabinoxylan (AX) in the porridge. The content of total DF was increased (from about 20% to 23% of dry matter) during porridge making due to formation of insoluble resistant starch. A small but significant increase in the extractability of β-glucan (P = 0.016) and AX (P = 0.002) due to rest time was also noted. The molecular weight of extractable fructan and AX remained stable during porridge making. However, incubation of the rye flour slurries at increased temperature resulted in a significant decrease in extractable AX molecular weight. The molecular weight of extractable β-glucan decreased greatly during a rest time before cooking, most likely by the action of endogenous enzymes. The amount of salt and flour used in the recipe had small but significant effects on the molecular weight of β-glucan. These results show that whole grain rye porridge made without a rest time before cooking contains extractable DF components maintaining high molecular weights. High molecular weight is most likely of nutritional importance.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Roger Andersson
2011-05-01
Full Text Available Extractable dietary fiber (DF plays an important role in nutrition. This study on porridge making with whole grain rye investigated the effect of rest time of flour slurries at room temperature before cooking and amount of flour and salt in the recipe on the content of DF components and molecular weight distribution of extractable fructan, mixed linkage (1→3(1→4-β-D-glucan (β-glucan and arabinoxylan (AX in the porridge. The content of total DF was increased (from about 20% to 23% of dry matter during porridge making due to formation of insoluble resistant starch. A small but significant increase in the extractability of β-glucan (P = 0.016 and AX (P = 0.002 due to rest time was also noted. The molecular weight of extractable fructan and AX remained stable during porridge making. However, incubation of the rye flour slurries at increased temperature resulted in a significant decrease in extractable AX molecular weight. The molecular weight of extractable β-glucan decreased greatly during a rest time before cooking, most likely by the action of endogenous enzymes. The amount of salt and flour used in the recipe had small but significant effects on the molecular weight of β-glucan. These results show that whole grain rye porridge made without a rest time before cooking contains extractable DF components maintaining high molecular weights. High molecular weight is most likely of nutritional importance.
Size and spatial distribution of micropores in SBA-15 using CM-SANS
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pollock, Rachel A.; Walsh, Brenna R.; Fry, Jason A.; Ghampson, Tyrone; Centikol, Ozgul; Melnichenko, Yuri B.; Kaiser, Helmut; Pynn, Roger; Frederick, Brian G.
2011-01-01
Diffraction intensity analysis of small-angle neutron scattering measurements of dry SBA-15 have been combined with nonlocal density functional theory (NLDFT) analysis of nitrogen desorption isotherms to characterize the micropore, secondary mesopore, and primary mesopore structure. The radial dependence of the scattering length density, which is sensitive to isolated surface hydroxyls, can only be modeled if the NLDFT pore size distribution is distributed relatively uniformly throughout the silica framework, not localized in a 'corona' around the primary mesopores. Contrast matching-small angle neutron scattering (CM-SANS) measurements, using water, decane, tributylamine, cyclohexane, and isooctane as direct probes of the size of micropores indicate that the smallest pores in SBA-15 have diameter between 5.7 and 6.2 (angstrom). Correlation of the minimum pore size with the onset of the micropore size distribution provides direct evidence that the shape of the smallest micropores is cylinderlike, which is consistent with their being due to unraveling of the polymer template.
Why Does Zipf's Law Break Down in Rank-Size Distribution of Cities?
Kuninaka, Hiroto; Matsushita, Mitsugu
2008-01-01
We study rank-size distribution of cities in Japan on the basis of data analysis. From the census data after World War II, we find that the rank-size distribution of cities is composed of two parts, each of which has independent power exponent. In addition, the power exponent of the head part of the distribution changes in time and Zipf's law holds only in a restricted period. We show that Zipf's law broke down due to both of Showa and Heisei great mergers and recovered due to population grow...
Zipf's law and city size distribution: A survey of the literature and future research agenda
Arshad, Sidra; Hu, Shougeng; Ashraf, Badar Nadeem
2018-02-01
This study provides a systematic review of the existing literature on Zipf's law for city size distribution. Existing empirical evidence suggests that Zipf's law is not always observable even for the upper-tail cities of a territory. However, the controversy with empirical findings arises due to sample selection biases, methodological weaknesses and data limitations. The hypothesis of Zipf's law is more likely to be rejected for the entire city size distribution and, in such case, alternative distributions have been suggested. On the contrary, the hypothesis is more likely to be accepted if better empirical methods are employed and cities are properly defined. The debate is still far from to be conclusive. In addition, we identify four emerging areas in Zipf's law and city size distribution research including the size distribution of lower-tail cities, the size distribution of cities in sub-national regions, the alternative forms of Zipf's law, and the relationship between Zipf's law and the coherence property of the urban system.
Kornilov, Oleg; Toennies, J Peter
2008-05-21
Clusters consisting of normal H2 molecules, produced in a free jet expansion, are size selected by diffraction from a transmission nanograting prior to electron impact ionization. For each neutral cluster (H2)(N) (N=2-40), the relative intensities of the ion fragments Hn+ are measured with a mass spectrometer. H3+ is found to be the most abundant fragment up to N=17. With a further increase in N, the abundances of H3+, H5+, H7+, and H9+ first increase and, after passing through a maximum, approach each other. At N=40, they are about the same and more than a factor of 2 and 3 larger than for H11+ and H13+, respectively. For a given neutral cluster size, the intensities of the ion fragments follow a Poisson distribution. The fragmentation probabilities are used to determine the neutral cluster size distribution produced in the expansion at a source temperature of 30.1 K and a source pressure of 1.50 bar. The distribution shows no clear evidence of a magic number N=13 as predicted by theory and found in experiments with pure para-H2 clusters. The ion fragment distributions are also used to extract information on the internal energy distribution of the H3+ ions produced in the reaction H2+ + H2-->H3+ +H, which is initiated upon ionization of the cluster. The internal energy is assumed to be rapidly equilibrated and to determine the number of molecules subsequently evaporated. The internal energy distribution found in this way is in good agreement with data obtained in an earlier independent merged beam scattering experiment.
Molecular-Sized DNA or RNA Sequencing Machine | NCI Technology Transfer Center | TTC
The National Cancer Institute's Gene Regulation and Chromosome Biology Laboratory is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to co-develop a molecular-sized DNA or RNA sequencing machine.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Plionis, Alexander A [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Peterson, Dominic S [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Tandon, Lav [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Lamont, Stephen P [Los Alamos National Laboratory
2009-01-01
Uranium particles within the respirable size range pose a significant hazard to the health and safety of workers. Significant differences in the deposition and incorporation patterns of aerosols within the respirable range can be identified and integrated into sophisticated health physics models. Data characterizing the uranium particle size distribution resulting from specific foundry-related processes are needed. Using personal air sampling cascade impactors, particles collected from several foundry processes were sorted by activity median aerodynamic diameter onto various Marple substrates. After an initial gravimetric assessment of each impactor stage, the substrates were analyzed by alpha spectrometry to determine the uranium content of each stage. Alpha spectrometry provides rapid nondestructive isotopic data that can distinguish process uranium from natural sources and the degree of uranium contribution to the total accumulated particle load. In addition, the particle size bins utilized by the impactors provide adequate resolution to determine if a process particle size distribution is: lognormal, bimodal, or trimodal. Data on process uranium particle size values and distributions facilitate the development of more sophisticated and accurate models for internal dosimetry, resulting in an improved understanding of foundry worker health and safety.
Yu, Huan; Yu, Jian Zhen
2012-07-01
Size distributions of thirteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), elemental carbon (EC), and organic carbon (OC) in the range of 0.01-18 μm were measured using a nano Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor (nano-MOUDI) in an urban location in Guangzhou, China in July 2006. PAH size distributions were fit with five modes and the respective mass median aerodynamic diameters (MMAD) are: Aitken mode (MMAD: ˜0.05 μm), three accumulation modes AMI, AMII, AMIII (MMAD: 0.13-0.17 μm, 0.4-0.45 μm, and 0.9-1.2 μm, respectively), and coarse mode (MMAD: 4-6 μm). Seven-ring PAH was mainly in AMII and AMIII. Five- and six-ring PAHs were found to be abundant in all the three AM. Three- and four-ring PAHs had a significant presence in the coarse mode in addition to the three AM. Size-resolved gas-particle partition coefficients of PAHs (Kp) were estimated using measured EC and OC data. The Kp values of a given PAH could differ by a factor of up to ˜7 on particles in different size modes, with the highest Kp associated with the AMI particles and the lowest Kp associated with the coarse mode particles. Comparison of calculated overall Kp with measured Kp values in Guangzhou by Yang et al. (2010) shows that adsorption on EC appeared to be the dominant mechanism driving the gas-particle partitioning of three- and four-ring PAHs while absorption in OM played a dominant role for five- and six-ring PAHs. The calculated equilibrium timescales of repartitioning indicate that five- to seven-ring PAHs could not achieve equilibrium partitioning within their typical residence time in urban atmospheres, while three- and four-ring PAHs could readily reach new equilibrium states in particles of all sizes. A partitioning flux is therefore proposed to replace the equilibrium assumption in modeling PAH transport and fate.
Passive acoustic measurement of bedload grain size distribution using self-generated noise
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
T. Petrut
2018-01-01
Full Text Available Monitoring sediment transport processes in rivers is of particular interest to engineers and scientists to assess the stability of rivers and hydraulic structures. Various methods for sediment transport process description were proposed using conventional or surrogate measurement techniques. This paper addresses the topic of the passive acoustic monitoring of bedload transport in rivers and especially the estimation of the bedload grain size distribution from self-generated noise. It discusses the feasibility of linking the acoustic signal spectrum shape to bedload grain sizes involved in elastic impacts with the river bed treated as a massive slab. Bedload grain size distribution is estimated by a regularized algebraic inversion scheme fed with the power spectrum density of river noise estimated from one hydrophone. The inversion methodology relies upon a physical model that predicts the acoustic field generated by the collision between rigid bodies. Here we proposed an analytic model of the acoustic energy spectrum generated by the impacts between a sphere and a slab. The proposed model computes the power spectral density of bedload noise using a linear system of analytic energy spectra weighted by the grain size distribution. The algebraic system of equations is then solved by least square optimization and solution regularization methods. The result of inversion leads directly to the estimation of the bedload grain size distribution. The inversion method was applied to real acoustic data from passive acoustics experiments realized on the Isère River, in France. The inversion of in situ measured spectra reveals good estimations of grain size distribution, fairly close to what was estimated by physical sampling instruments. These results illustrate the potential of the hydrophone technique to be used as a standalone method that could ensure high spatial and temporal resolution measurements for sediment transport in rivers.
Passive acoustic measurement of bedload grain size distribution using self-generated noise
Petrut, Teodor; Geay, Thomas; Gervaise, Cédric; Belleudy, Philippe; Zanker, Sebastien
2018-01-01
Monitoring sediment transport processes in rivers is of particular interest to engineers and scientists to assess the stability of rivers and hydraulic structures. Various methods for sediment transport process description were proposed using conventional or surrogate measurement techniques. This paper addresses the topic of the passive acoustic monitoring of bedload transport in rivers and especially the estimation of the bedload grain size distribution from self-generated noise. It discusses the feasibility of linking the acoustic signal spectrum shape to bedload grain sizes involved in elastic impacts with the river bed treated as a massive slab. Bedload grain size distribution is estimated by a regularized algebraic inversion scheme fed with the power spectrum density of river noise estimated from one hydrophone. The inversion methodology relies upon a physical model that predicts the acoustic field generated by the collision between rigid bodies. Here we proposed an analytic model of the acoustic energy spectrum generated by the impacts between a sphere and a slab. The proposed model computes the power spectral density of bedload noise using a linear system of analytic energy spectra weighted by the grain size distribution. The algebraic system of equations is then solved by least square optimization and solution regularization methods. The result of inversion leads directly to the estimation of the bedload grain size distribution. The inversion method was applied to real acoustic data from passive acoustics experiments realized on the Isère River, in France. The inversion of in situ measured spectra reveals good estimations of grain size distribution, fairly close to what was estimated by physical sampling instruments. These results illustrate the potential of the hydrophone technique to be used as a standalone method that could ensure high spatial and temporal resolution measurements for sediment transport in rivers.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lucchese, R R; Carey, R; Elkharrat, C; Houver, J C; Dowek, D
2008-01-01
Photoelectron angular distributions in the dipole approximation can be written with respect to several different reference frames. A brief review of the molecular frame and recoil frame are given. Experimentally, one approach for obtaining such angular distributions is through angle-resolved coincidence measurements of dissociative ionization. If the system dissociates into two heavy fragments, then the recoil frame angular distribution can be measured. Computed molecular frame and recoil frame photoelectron angular distributions are compared to experimental data for the Cl 2p ionization of CH 3 Cl.
The size distributions of fragments ejected at a given velocity from impact craters
O'Keefe, John D.; Ahrens, Thomas J.
1987-01-01
The mass distribution of fragments that are ejected at a given velocity for impact craters is modeled to allow extrapolation of laboratory, field, and numerical results to large scale planetary events. The model is semi-empirical in nature and is derived from: (1) numerical calculations of cratering and the resultant mass versus ejection velocity, (2) observed ejecta blanket particle size distributions, (3) an empirical relationship between maximum ejecta fragment size and crater diameter, (4) measurements and theory of maximum ejecta size versus ejecta velocity, and (5) an assumption on the functional form for the distribution of fragments ejected at a given velocity. This model implies that for planetary impacts into competent rock, the distribution of fragments ejected at a given velocity is broad, e.g., 68 percent of the mass of the ejecta at a given velocity contains fragments having a mass less than 0.1 times a mass of the largest fragment moving at that velocity. The broad distribution suggests that in impact processes, additional comminution of ejecta occurs after the upward initial shock has passed in the process of the ejecta velocity vector rotating from an initially downward orientation. This additional comminution produces the broader size distribution in impact ejecta as compared to that obtained in simple brittle failure experiments.
The problem of predicting the size distribution of sediment supplied by hillslopes to rivers
Sklar, Leonard S.; Riebe, Clifford S.; Marshall, Jill A.; Genetti, Jennifer; Leclere, Shirin; Lukens, Claire L.; Merces, Viviane
2017-01-01
Sediments link hillslopes to river channels. The size of sediments entering channels is a key control on river morphodynamics across a range of scales, from channel response to human land use to landscape response to changes in tectonic and climatic forcing. However, very little is known about what controls the size distribution of particles eroded from bedrock on hillslopes, and how particle sizes evolve before sediments are delivered to channels. Here we take the first steps toward building a geomorphic transport law to predict the size distribution of particles produced on hillslopes and supplied to channels. We begin by identifying independent variables that can be used to quantify the influence of five key boundary conditions: lithology, climate, life, erosion rate, and topography, which together determine the suite of geomorphic processes that produce and transport sediments on hillslopes. We then consider the physical and chemical mechanisms that determine the initial size distribution of rock fragments supplied to the hillslope weathering system, and the duration and intensity of weathering experienced by particles on their journey from bedrock to the channel. We propose a simple modeling framework with two components. First, the initial rock fragment sizes are set by the distribution of spacing between fractures in unweathered rock, which is influenced by stresses encountered by rock during exhumation and by rock resistance to fracture propagation. That initial size distribution is then transformed by a weathering function that captures the influence of climate and mineralogy on chemical weathering potential, and the influence of erosion rate and soil depth on residence time and the extent of particle size reduction. Model applications illustrate how spatial variation in weathering regime can lead to bimodal size distributions and downstream fining of channel sediment by down-valley fining of hillslope sediment supply, two examples of hillslope control on
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Tilocca, Antonio [Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ (United Kingdom)
2013-09-21
A set of molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the effect of cooling rate and system size on the medium-range structure of melt-derived multicomponent silicate glasses, represented by the quaternary 45S5 Bioglass composition. Given the significant impact of the glass degradation on applications of these materials in biomedicine and nuclear waste disposal, bulk structural features which directly affect the glass dissolution process are of particular interest. Connectivity of the silicate matrix, ion clustering and nanosegregation, distribution of ring and chain structural patterns represent critical features in this context, which can be directly extracted from the models. A key issue is represented by the effect of the computational approach on the corresponding glass models, especially in light of recent indications questioning the suitability of conventional MD approaches (that is, involving melt-and-quench of systems containing ∼10{sup 3} atoms at cooling rates of 5-10 K/ps) when applied to model these glasses. The analysis presented here compares MD models obtained with conventional and nonconventional cooling rates and system sizes, highlighting the trend and range of convergence of specific structural features in the medium range. The present results show that time-consuming computational approaches involving much lower cooling rates and/or significantly larger system sizes are in most cases not necessary in order to obtain a reliable description of the medium-range structure of multicomponent glasses. We identify the convergence range for specific properties and use them to discuss models of several glass compositions for which a possible influence of cooling-rate or size effects had been previously hypothesized. The trends highlighted here represent an important reference to obtain reliable models of multicomponent glasses and extract converged medium-range structural features which affect the glass degradation and thus their
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tilocca, Antonio
2013-01-01
A set of molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the effect of cooling rate and system size on the medium-range structure of melt-derived multicomponent silicate glasses, represented by the quaternary 45S5 Bioglass composition. Given the significant impact of the glass degradation on applications of these materials in biomedicine and nuclear waste disposal, bulk structural features which directly affect the glass dissolution process are of particular interest. Connectivity of the silicate matrix, ion clustering and nanosegregation, distribution of ring and chain structural patterns represent critical features in this context, which can be directly extracted from the models. A key issue is represented by the effect of the computational approach on the corresponding glass models, especially in light of recent indications questioning the suitability of conventional MD approaches (that is, involving melt-and-quench of systems containing ∼10 3 atoms at cooling rates of 5-10 K/ps) when applied to model these glasses. The analysis presented here compares MD models obtained with conventional and nonconventional cooling rates and system sizes, highlighting the trend and range of convergence of specific structural features in the medium range. The present results show that time-consuming computational approaches involving much lower cooling rates and/or significantly larger system sizes are in most cases not necessary in order to obtain a reliable description of the medium-range structure of multicomponent glasses. We identify the convergence range for specific properties and use them to discuss models of several glass compositions for which a possible influence of cooling-rate or size effects had been previously hypothesized. The trends highlighted here represent an important reference to obtain reliable models of multicomponent glasses and extract converged medium-range structural features which affect the glass degradation and thus their application
Zelenyuk, A.; Cuadra-Rodriguez, L. A.; Imre, D.; Shimpi, S.; Warey, A.
2006-12-01
The strong absorption of solar radiation by black carbon (BC) impacts the atmospheric radiative balance in a complex and significant manner. One of the most important sources of BC is vehicular emissions, of which diesel represents a significant fraction. To address this issue the EPA has issues new stringent regulations that will be in effect in 2007, limiting the amount of particulate mass that can be emitted by diesel engines. The new engines are equipped with aftertreatments that reduce PM emissions to the point, where filter measurements are subject to significant artifacts and characterization by other techniques presents new challenges. We will present the results of the multidisciplinary study conducted at the Cummins Technical Center in which a suite of instruments was deployed to yield comprehensive, temporally resolved information on the diesel exhaust particle loadings and properties in real-time: Particle size distributions were measured by Engine Exhaust Particle Sizer (EEPS) and Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS). Total particle diameter concentration was obtained using Electrical Aerosol Detector (EAD). Laser Induced Incandescence and photoacoustic techniques were used to monitor the PM soot content. Single Particle Laser Ablation Time-of- flight Mass Spectrometer (SPLAT) provided the aerodynamic diameter and chemical composition of individual diesel exhaust particles. Measurements were conducted on a number of heavy duty diesel engines operated under variety of operating conditions, including FTP transient cycles, ramped-modal cycles and steady states runs. We have also characterized PM emissions during diesel particulate filter regeneration cycles. We will present a comparison of PM characteristics observed during identical cycles, but with and without the use of aftertreatment. A total of approximately 100,000 individual particles were sized and their composition characterized by SPLAT. The aerodynamic size distributions of the characterized
The distribution of 14C-chitosan by different molecular weight in mice
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kim, Kwang Yoon; Kim, Young Ho; Bom, Hee Seung; Kim, Ji Yeul; Kim, Hee Kyung; Roh, Young Bok; Nishimura, Yoshikazu
1998-01-01
Chitosan is a nontoxic natural chealtor which was made by chitin, and reduced a contamination of radiostrontium in animals. In this experiment, a different molecular weight of C-14 chitosan was intravenously administered to mice, and then the distribution of C-14 chitosan in the body was observed. Male mice (8 to 10 weeks, body weight of 30 to 35g) of ICR strain were used. C-14 chitosan, mice was sacrificed at the 6th hour, 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th day. Beta radioactivities in the blood, liver, kidney, liver, muscle, testis, and urine was measured using a liquid scintillation analyzer. Most of the C-14 chitosan was excreted through urine within 6 hours. Biodistribution of C-14 chitosan was similar despite the difference of molecular weight. Higher distributions of radioactivities were found in the liver, kidney, spleen. The relative concentration in tissue increased for the 6 hours and then decreased. In conclusion, most of C-14 chitosan was excreted through urine despite the difference of molecular weight. and, low molecular weight of C-14 chitosan showed higher distribution than high molecular weight of C-14 chitosan in tissues
Real-Time Measurement of Electronic Cigarette Aerosol Size Distribution and Metals Content Analysis.
Mikheev, Vladimir B; Brinkman, Marielle C; Granville, Courtney A; Gordon, Sydney M; Clark, Pamela I
2016-09-01
Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is increasing worldwide and is highest among both daily and nondaily smokers. E-cigarettes are perceived as a healthier alternative to combustible tobacco products, but their health risk factors have not yet been established, and one of them is lack of data on aerosol size generated by e-cigarettes. We applied a real-time, high-resolution aerosol differential mobility spectrometer to monitor the evolution of aerosol size and concentration during puff development. Particles generated by e-cigarettes were immediately delivered for analysis with minimal dilution and therefore with minimal sample distortion, which is critically important given the highly dynamic aerosol/vapor mixture inherent to e-cigarette emissions. E-cigarette aerosols normally exhibit a bimodal particle size distribution: nanoparticles (11-25nm count median diameter) and submicron particles (96-175nm count median diameter). Each mode has comparable number concentrations (10(7)-10(8) particles/cm(3)). "Dry puff" tests conducted with no e-cigarette liquid (e-liquid) present in the e-cigarette tank demonstrated that under these conditions only nanoparticles were generated. Analysis of the bulk aerosol collected on the filter showed that e-cigarette emissions contained a variety of metals. E-cigarette aerosol size distribution is different from that of combustible tobacco smoke. E-cigarettes generate high concentrations of nanoparticles and their chemical content requires further investigation. Despite the small mass of nanoparticles, their toxicological impact could be significant. Toxic chemicals that are attached to the small nanoparticles may have greater adverse health effects than when attached to larger submicron particles. The e-cigarette aerosol size distribution is different from that of combustible tobacco smoke and typically exhibits a bimodal behavior with comparable number concentrations of nanoparticles and submicron particles. While vaping the e
Power law olivine crystal size distributions in lithospheric mantle xenoliths
Armienti, P.; Tarquini, S.
2002-12-01
Olivine crystal size distributions (CSDs) have been measured in three suites of spinel- and garnet-bearing harzburgites and lherzolites found as xenoliths in alkaline basalts from Canary Islands, Africa; Victoria Land, Antarctica; and Pali Aike, South America. The xenoliths derive from lithospheric mantle, from depths ranging from 80 to 20 km. Their textures vary from coarse to porphyroclastic and mosaic-porphyroclastic up to cataclastic. Data have been collected by processing digital images acquired optically from standard petrographic thin sections. The acquisition method is based on a high-resolution colour scanner that allows image capturing of a whole thin section. Image processing was performed using the VISILOG 5.2 package, resolving crystals larger than about 150 μm and applying stereological corrections based on the Schwartz-Saltykov algorithm. Taking account of truncation effects due to resolution limits and thin section size, all samples show scale invariance of crystal size distributions over almost three orders of magnitude (0.2-25 mm). Power law relations show fractal dimensions varying between 2.4 and 3.8, a range of values observed for distributions of fragment sizes in a variety of other geological contexts. A fragmentation model can reproduce the fractal dimensions around 2.6, which correspond to well-equilibrated granoblastic textures. Fractal dimensions >3 are typical of porphyroclastic and cataclastic samples. Slight bends in some linear arrays suggest selective tectonic crushing of crystals with size larger than 1 mm. The scale invariance shown by lithospheric mantle xenoliths in a variety of tectonic settings forms distant geographic regions, which indicate that this is a common characteristic of the upper mantle and should be taken into account in rheological models and evaluation of metasomatic models.
Lin, Chi-Chi; Huang, Hsiao-Lin; Hsiao, Wen-Yuan
2016-01-01
Past studies indicated particulates generated by waste incineration contain various hazardous compounds. The aerosol characteristics are very important for particulate hazard control and workers' protection. This study explores the detailed characteristics of emitted particulates from each important operation unit in a rotary kiln-based hazardous industrial waste incineration plant. A dust size analyzer (Grimm 1.109) and a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) were used to measure the aerosol mass concentration, mass size distribution, and number size distribution at five operation units (S1-S5) during periods of normal operation, furnace shutdown, and annual maintenance. The place with the highest measured PM10 concentration was located at the area of fly ash discharge from air pollution control equipment (S5) during the period of normal operation. Fine particles (PM2.5) constituted the majority of the emitted particles from the incineration plant. The mass size distributions (elucidated) made it clear that the size of aerosols caused by the increased particulate mass, resulting from work activities, were mostly greater than 1.5 μm. Whereas the number size distributions showed that the major diameters of particulates that caused the increase of particulate number concentrations, from work activities, were distributed in the sub micrometer range. The process of discharging fly ash from air pollution control equipment can significantly increase the emission of nanoparticles. The mass concentrations and size distributions of emitted particulates were different at each operation unit. This information is valuable for managers to take appropriate strategy to reduce the particulate emission and associated worker exposure.
Sample size determination for logistic regression on a logit-normal distribution.
Kim, Seongho; Heath, Elisabeth; Heilbrun, Lance
2017-06-01
Although the sample size for simple logistic regression can be readily determined using currently available methods, the sample size calculation for multiple logistic regression requires some additional information, such as the coefficient of determination ([Formula: see text]) of a covariate of interest with other covariates, which is often unavailable in practice. The response variable of logistic regression follows a logit-normal distribution which can be generated from a logistic transformation of a normal distribution. Using this property of logistic regression, we propose new methods of determining the sample size for simple and multiple logistic regressions using a normal transformation of outcome measures. Simulation studies and a motivating example show several advantages of the proposed methods over the existing methods: (i) no need for [Formula: see text] for multiple logistic regression, (ii) available interim or group-sequential designs, and (iii) much smaller required sample size.
Soot Particle Size Distribution Functions in a Turbulent Non-Premixed Ethylene-Nitrogen Flame
Boyette, Wesley
2017-02-21
A scanning mobility particle sizer with a nano differential mobility analyzer was used to measure nanoparticle size distribution functions in a turbulent non-premixed flame. The burner utilizes a premixed pilot flame which anchors a C2H4/N2 (35/65) central jet with ReD = 20,000. Nanoparticles in the flame were sampled through a N2-filled tube with a 500- μm orifice. Previous studies have shown that insufficient dilution of the nanoparticles can lead to coagulation in the sampling line and skewed particle size distribution functions. A system of mass flow controllers and valves were used to vary the dilution ratio. Single-stage and two-stage dilution systems were investigated. A parametric study on the effect of the dilution ratio on the observed particle size distribution function indicates that particle coagulation in the sampling line can be eliminated using a two-stage dilution process. Carbonaceous nanoparticle (soot) concentration particle size distribution functions along the flame centerline at multiple heights in the flame are presented. The resulting distributions reveal a pattern of increasing mean particle diameters as the distance from the nozzle along the centerline increases.
Soot Particle Size Distribution Functions in a Turbulent Non-Premixed Ethylene-Nitrogen Flame
Boyette, Wesley; Chowdhury, Snehaunshu; Roberts, William L.
2017-01-01
A scanning mobility particle sizer with a nano differential mobility analyzer was used to measure nanoparticle size distribution functions in a turbulent non-premixed flame. The burner utilizes a premixed pilot flame which anchors a C2H4/N2 (35/65) central jet with ReD = 20,000. Nanoparticles in the flame were sampled through a N2-filled tube with a 500- μm orifice. Previous studies have shown that insufficient dilution of the nanoparticles can lead to coagulation in the sampling line and skewed particle size distribution functions. A system of mass flow controllers and valves were used to vary the dilution ratio. Single-stage and two-stage dilution systems were investigated. A parametric study on the effect of the dilution ratio on the observed particle size distribution function indicates that particle coagulation in the sampling line can be eliminated using a two-stage dilution process. Carbonaceous nanoparticle (soot) concentration particle size distribution functions along the flame centerline at multiple heights in the flame are presented. The resulting distributions reveal a pattern of increasing mean particle diameters as the distance from the nozzle along the centerline increases.
Particle size distribution of plutonium contaminated soil
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zeng Ke; Wu Wangsuo; Jin Yuren; Shen Maoquan; Han Zhaoyang; Hu Zhiqian; Ma Teqi
2012-01-01
Wet classification and γ ray spectroscopy had been applied to study the particle size distribution of Pu in the desert soil of somewhere in Northern China. It was found that nearly 90% of Pu exits in 0.1-10 mm particles. only 10% less in particles under 0.05 mm that still poses notable hazards to biosphere if any resuspension. Providing a decontamination target of 239 Pu <4000 Bq/kg, accident condition. (authors)
Sample sizes and model comparison metrics for species distribution models
B.B. Hanberry; H.S. He; D.C. Dey
2012-01-01
Species distribution models use small samples to produce continuous distribution maps. The question of how small a sample can be to produce an accurate model generally has been answered based on comparisons to maximum sample sizes of 200 observations or fewer. In addition, model comparisons often are made with the kappa statistic, which has become controversial....
van Rijssel, Jozef; Kuipers, Bonny W M; Erne, Ben
2015-01-01
High-frequency applications of magnetic nanoparticles, such as therapeutic hyperthermia and magnetic particle imaging, are sensitive to nanoparticle size and dipole moment. Usually, it is assumed that magnetic nanoparticles with a log-normal distribution of the physical size also have a log-normal
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Bakshi Surbhi
2016-01-01
Full Text Available Distributed Generation has drawn the attention of industrialists and researchers for quite a time now due to the advantages it brings loads. In addition to cost-effective and environmentally friendly, but also brings higher reliability coefficient power system. The DG unit is placed close to the load, rather than increasing the capacity of main generator. This methodology brings many benefits, but has to address some of the challenges. The main is to find the optimal location and size of DG units between them. The purpose of this paper is distributed generation by adding an additional means to reduce losses on the line. This paper attempts to optimize the technology to solve the problem of optimal location and size through the development of multi-objective particle swarm. The problem has been reduced to a mathematical optimization problem by developing a fitness function considering losses and voltage distribution line. Fitness function by using the optimal value of the size and location of this algorithm was found to be minimized. IEEE-14 bus system is being considered, in order to test the proposed algorithm and the results show improved performance in terms of accuracy and convergence rate.
Optical extinction dependence on wavelength and size distribution of airborne dust
Pangle, Garrett E.; Hook, D. A.; Long, Brandon J. N.; Philbrick, C. R.; Hallen, Hans D.
2013-05-01
The optical scattering from laser beams propagating through atmospheric aerosols has been shown to be very useful in describing air pollution aerosol properties. This research explores and extends that capability to particulate matter. The optical properties of Arizona Road Dust (ARD) samples are measured in a chamber that simulates the particle dispersal of dust aerosols in the atmospheric environment. Visible, near infrared, and long wave infrared lasers are used. Optical scattering measurements show the expected dependence of laser wavelength and particle size on the extinction of laser beams. The extinction at long wavelengths demonstrates reduced scattering, but chemical absorption of dust species must be considered. The extinction and depolarization of laser wavelengths interacting with several size cuts of ARD are examined. The measurements include studies of different size distributions, and their evolution over time is recorded by an Aerodynamic Particle Sizer. We analyze the size-dependent extinction and depolarization of ARD. We present a method of predicting extinction for an arbitrary ARD size distribution. These studies provide new insights for understanding the optical propagation of laser beams through airborne particulate matter.
Asmeda, R; Noorlaila, A; Norziah, M H
2016-01-15
This research was conducted to investigate the effects of different grinding techniques (dry, semi-wet and wet) of milled rice grains on the damaged starch and particle size distribution of flour produced from a new variety, MR263, specifically related to the pasting and thermal profiles. The results indicated that grinding techniques significantly (price flour. Wet grinding process yields flour with lowest percentage of starch damage (7.37%) and finest average particle size (8.52μm). Pasting and gelatinization temperature was found in the range of 84.45-89.63°C and 59.86-75.31°C, respectively. Dry ground flour attained the lowest pasting and gelatinization temperature as shown by the thermal and pasting profiles. Correlation analysis revealed that percentage of damaged starch granules had a significant, negative relationship with pasting temperature while average particle size distribution had a significant, strong negative relationship with gelatinization temperature. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Reporting effect sizes as a supplement to statistical significance ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
The purpose of the article is to review the statistical significance reporting practices in reading instruction studies and to provide guidelines for when to calculate and report effect sizes in educational research. A review of six readily accessible (online) and accredited journals publishing research on reading instruction ...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wu, Chen-Chou; Bao, Lian-Jun; Tao, Shu; Zeng, Eddy Y.
2016-01-01
Recently published literature indicated that dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)-containing antifouling paint flakes were heterogeneously distributed within estuarine sediments. However, the significance of antifouling paint flakes in the fate and transport of DDT compounds and other organic pollutants in estuarine sediment is yet to be adequately addressed. To fill this knowledge gap, estuarine sediment and paint flakes from cabin and boat surfaces were collected from a fishery base in Guangdong Province of South China and analyzed for DDT compounds. Coarse fractioned samples collected from the vicinity of boat maintenance facilities contained appreciable amounts of colorful particles, which were identified as paint flakes by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The highest concentrations of DDXs (sum of DDTs and its metabolites) occurred in the heavy-density (>1.7 g cm"−"3) fraction of coarse-size (200–2000 μm) sediments from near the boat maintenance facilities, suggesting the importance of paint flakes in the distribution pattern of “hot spots” in estuarine sediment. Moreover, the desorption rates of DDT compounds from paint flakes and the heavy-density fraction of coarse-size sediment were both extremely slow. Apparently, unevenly distributed paint flakes in sediment can artificially inflate the sorption capacity of heavy-density sediment for DDT compounds, and therefore can substantially change the environmental fate and behavior of hydrophobic organic chemicals in estuarine sediment. Finally, commonly used source diagnostic indices of DDT compounds were mostly grain-size and density dependent in sediment, as a result of the occurrence of paint flakes, which may strongly compromise the outcome of any source diagnostics efforts. - Highlights: • Concentrations of DDTs were elevated in coarse and high-density fractions. • The desorption rates of DDTs from coarse and high-density fraction were extreme slow. • DDTs-containing antifouling
New Measurements of the Particle Size Distribution of Apollo 11 Lunar Soil 10084
McKay, D.S.; Cooper, B.L.; Riofrio, L.M.
2009-01-01
We have initiated a major new program to determine the grain size distribution of nearly all lunar soils collected in the Apollo program. Following the return of Apollo soil and core samples, a number of investigators including our own group performed grain size distribution studies and published the results [1-11]. Nearly all of these studies were done by sieving the samples, usually with a working fluid such as Freon(TradeMark) or water. We have measured the particle size distribution of lunar soil 10084,2005 in water, using a Microtrac(TradeMark) laser diffraction instrument. Details of our own sieving technique and protocol (also used in [11]). are given in [4]. While sieving usually produces accurate and reproducible results, it has disadvantages. It is very labor intensive and requires hours to days to perform properly. Even using automated sieve shaking devices, four or five days may be needed to sieve each sample, although multiple sieve stacks increases productivity. Second, sieving is subject to loss of grains through handling and weighing operations, and these losses are concentrated in the finest grain sizes. Loss from handling becomes a more acute problem when smaller amounts of material are used. While we were able to quantitatively sieve into 6 or 8 size fractions using starting soil masses as low as 50mg, attrition and handling problems limit the practicality of sieving smaller amounts. Third, sieving below 10 or 20microns is not practical because of the problems of grain loss, and smaller grains sticking to coarser grains. Sieving is completely impractical below about 5- 10microns. Consequently, sieving gives no information on the size distribution below approx.10 microns which includes the important submicrometer and nanoparticle size ranges. Finally, sieving creates a limited number of size bins and may therefore miss fine structure of the distribution which would be revealed by other methods that produce many smaller size bins.
Theory of Nanocluster Size Distributions from Ion Beam Synthesis
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Yuan, C.W.; Yi, D.O.; Sharp, I.D.; Shin, S.J.; Liao, C.Y.; Guzman, J.; Ager III, J.W.; Haller, E.E.; Chrzan, D.C.
2008-06-13
Ion beam synthesis of nanoclusters is studied via both kinetic Monte Carlo simulations and the self-consistent mean-field solution to a set of coupled rate equations. Both approaches predict the existence of a steady state shape for the cluster size distribution that depends only on a characteristic length determined by the ratio of the effective diffusion coefficient to the ion flux. The average cluster size in the steady state regime is determined by the implanted species/matrix interface energy.
Particle size distribution of iron nanomaterials in biological medium by SR-SAXS method
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jing Long; Feng Weiyue; Wang Bing; Wang Meng; Ouyang Hong; Zhao Yuliang; Chai Zhifang; Wang Yun; Wang Huajiang; Zhu Motao; Wu Zhonghua
2009-01-01
A better understanding of biological effects of nanomaterials in organisms requests knowledge of the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials in biological systems. Affected by high concentration salts and proteins in biological medium, nanoparticles are much easy to agglomerate,hence the difficulties in characterizing size distribution of the nanomaterials in biological medium.In this work, synchrotron radiation small angle X-ray scattering(SR-SAXS) was used to determine size distributions of Fe, Fe 2 O 3 and Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles of various concentrations in PBS and DMEM culture medium. The results show that size distributions of the nanomaterials could perfectly analyzed by SR-SAXS. The SR-SAXS data were not affected by the particle content and types of the dispersion medium.It is concluded that SR-SAXS can be used for size measurement of nanomaterials in unstable dispersion systems. (authors)
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Petersen, Nanna; Stocks, S.; Gernaey, Krist
2008-01-01
fermentations conducted in 550 L pilot scale tanks were characterized with respect to particle size distribution, biomass concentration, and rheological properties. The rheological properties were described using the Herschel-Bulkley model. Estimation of all three parameters in the Herschel-Bulkley model (yield...... in filamentous fermentations. It was therefore chosen to fix this parameter to the average value thereby decreasing the standard deviation of the estimates of the remaining theological parameters significantly. Using a PLSR model, a reasonable prediction of apparent viscosity (mu(app)), yield stress (tau......(y)), and consistency index (K), could be made from the size distributions, biomass concentration, and process information. This provides a predictive method with a high predictive power for the rheology of fermentation broth, and with the advantages over previous models that tau(y) and K can be predicted as well as mu...
Particle size distribution of UO sub 2 aerosols
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Raghunath, B. (Radiation Safety Systems Div., BARC, Bombay (India)); Ramachandran, R.; Majumdar, S. (Radiometallurgy Div., BARC, Bombay (India))
1991-12-01
The Anderson cascade impactor has been used to determine the activity mean aerodynamic diameter and the particle size distribution of UO{sub 2} powders dispersed in the form of stable aerosols in an air medium. The UO{sub 2} powders obtained by the calcination of ammonium uranyl carbonate (AUC) and ammonium diuranate (ADU) precipitates have been used. (orig./MM).
Leukemia in AKR mice. III. Size distribution of suppressor T-cells in AKR leukemia and neonatal mice
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mulder, A.M.; Durdik, J.M.; Toth, P.; Golub, E.S.
1978-01-01
Suppression of in vitro antibody forming potential of normal cells by leukemic cells of AKR and normal neonatal mice have many similarities. In both cases the suppression is by cell contact rather than by the elaboration of soluble suppressive factors and the suppression is sensitive to both x-irradiation and mitomycin C treatment. When the size distribution of suppressing cells in thymus and spleen were compared by velocity sedimentation, both leukemic and neonatal suppressing cells had similar size distribution in each organ. Both large and small cells in the thymus suppress but only large cells (sedimentation velocity > 3.5 mm/hr) in the spleen are able to suppress. Leukemic cells in lymph node have a splenic size distribution, viz., only large cells suppress. Both large and small cells of a subcutaneously growing long passage AKR lymphoma are able to suppress. While large cells contain the bulk of cells actively incorporating tritiated thymidine and thus probably in cycle, small but significant amounts of incorporation in small suppressing cells is also seen
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Majid, Z.A.; Mahmud, H.; Shaaban, M.G.
1996-12-31
Stabilization/solidification of hazardous wastes is used to convert hazardous metal hydroxide waste sludge into a solid mass with better handling properties. This study investigated the pore size development of ordinary portland cement pastes containing metal hydroxide waste sludge and rice husk ash using mercury intrusion porosimetry. The effects of acre and the addition of rice husk ash on pore size development and strength were studied. It was found that the pore structures of mixes changed significantly with curing acre. The pore size shifted from 1,204 to 324 {angstrom} for 3-day old cement paste, and from 956 to 263 {angstrom} for a 7-day old sample. A reduction in pore size distribution for different curing ages was also observed in the other mixtures. From this limited study, no conclusion could be made as to any correlation between strength development and porosity. 10 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs.
Kurth, Laura M; McCawley, Michael; Hendryx, Michael; Lusk, Stephanie
2014-07-01
People who live in Appalachian areas where coal mining is prominent have increased health problems compared with people in non-mining areas of Appalachia. Coal mines and related mining activities result in the production of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) that is associated with human health effects. There is a gap in research regarding particle size concentration and distribution to determine respiratory dose around coal mining and non-mining areas. Mass- and number-based size distributions were determined with an Aerodynamic Particle Size and Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer to calculate lung deposition around mining and non-mining areas of West Virginia. Particle number concentrations and deposited lung dose were significantly greater around mining areas compared with non-mining areas, demonstrating elevated risks to humans. The greater dose was correlated with elevated disease rates in the West Virginia mining areas. Number concentrations in the mining areas were comparable to a previously documented urban area where number concentration was associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disease.
Nash, Kirsty L.; Allen, Craig R.; Barichievy, Chris; Nystrom, Magnus; Sundstrom, Shana M.; Graham, Nicholas A.J.
2014-01-01
Habitat structure across multiple spatial and temporal scales has been proposed as a key driver of body size distributions for associated communities. Thus, understanding the relationship between habitat and body size is fundamental to developing predictions regarding the influence of habitat change on animal communities. Much of the work assessing the relationship between habitat structure and body size distributions has focused on terrestrial taxa with determinate growth, and has primarily analysed discontinuities (gaps) in the distribution of species mean sizes (species size relationships or SSRs). The suitability of this approach for taxa with indeterminate growth has yet to be determined. We provide a cross-ecosystem comparison of bird (determinate growth) and fish (indeterminate growth) body mass distributions using four independent data sets. We evaluate three size distribution indices: SSRs, species size–density relationships (SSDRs) and individual size–density relationships (ISDRs), and two types of analysis: looking for either discontinuities or abundance patterns and multi-modality in the distributions. To assess the respective suitability of these three indices and two analytical approaches for understanding habitat–size relationships in different ecosystems, we compare their ability to differentiate bird or fish communities found within contrasting habitat conditions. All three indices of body size distribution are useful for examining the relationship between cross-scale patterns of habitat structure and size for species with determinate growth, such as birds. In contrast, for species with indeterminate growth such as fish, the relationship between habitat structure and body size may be masked when using mean summary metrics, and thus individual-level data (ISDRs) are more useful. Furthermore, ISDRs, which have traditionally been used to study aquatic systems, present a potentially useful common currency for comparing body size distributions
Determination of size and shape distributions of metal and ceramic powders
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jovanovic, DI.
1961-01-01
For testing the size and shape distributions of metal and ceramic uranium oxide powders the following method for analysing the grain size of powders were developed and implemented: microscopic analysis and sedimentation method. A gravimetry absorption device was constructed for determining the specific surfaces of powders
Lu, Siqi; Wang, Xiaorong; Wu, Junyong
2018-01-01
The paper presents a method to generate the planning scenarios, which is based on K-means clustering analysis algorithm driven by data, for the location and size planning of distributed photovoltaic (PV) units in the network. Taken the power losses of the network, the installation and maintenance costs of distributed PV, the profit of distributed PV and the voltage offset as objectives and the locations and sizes of distributed PV as decision variables, Pareto optimal front is obtained through the self-adaptive genetic algorithm (GA) and solutions are ranked by a method called technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS). Finally, select the planning schemes at the top of the ranking list based on different planning emphasis after the analysis in detail. The proposed method is applied to a 10-kV distribution network in Gansu Province, China and the results are discussed.
Inversion of multiwavelength Raman lidar data for retrieval of bimodal aerosol size distribution
Veselovskii, Igor; Kolgotin, Alexei; Griaznov, Vadim; Müller, Detlef; Franke, Kathleen; Whiteman, David N.
2004-02-01
We report on the feasibility of deriving microphysical parameters of bimodal particle size distributions from Mie-Raman lidar based on a triple Nd:YAG laser. Such an instrument provides backscatter coefficients at 355, 532, and 1064 nm and extinction coefficients at 355 and 532 nm. The inversion method employed is Tikhonov's inversion with regularization. Special attention has been paid to extend the particle size range for which this inversion scheme works to ~10 μm, which makes this algorithm applicable to large particles, e.g., investigations concerning the hygroscopic growth of aerosols. Simulations showed that surface area, volume concentration, and effective radius are derived to an accuracy of ~50% for a variety of bimodal particle size distributions. For particle size distributions with an effective radius of rims along which anthropogenic pollution mixes with marine aerosols. Measurement cases obtained from the Institute for Tropospheric Research six-wavelength aerosol lidar observations during the Indian Ocean Experiment were used to test the capabilities of the algorithm for experimental data sets. A benchmark test was attempted for the case representing anthropogenic aerosols between a broken cloud deck. A strong contribution of particle volume in the coarse mode of the particle size distribution was found.
Liu, Gang; Mac Gabhann, Feilim; Popel, Aleksander S.
2012-01-01
The process of oxygen delivery from capillary to muscle fiber is essential for a tissue with variable oxygen demand, such as skeletal muscle. Oxygen distribution in exercising skeletal muscle is regulated by convective oxygen transport in the blood vessels, oxygen diffusion and consumption in the tissue. Spatial heterogeneities in oxygen supply, such as microvascular architecture and hemodynamic variables, had been observed experimentally and their marked effects on oxygen exchange had been confirmed using mathematical models. In this study, we investigate the effects of heterogeneities in oxygen demand on tissue oxygenation distribution using a multiscale oxygen transport model. Muscles are composed of different ratios of the various fiber types. Each fiber type has characteristic values of several parameters, including fiber size, oxygen consumption, myoglobin concentration, and oxygen diffusivity. Using experimentally measured parameters for different fiber types and applying them to the rat extensor digitorum longus muscle, we evaluated the effects of heterogeneous fiber size and fiber type properties on the oxygen distribution profile. Our simulation results suggest a marked increase in spatial heterogeneity of oxygen due to fiber size distribution in a mixed muscle. Our simulations also suggest that the combined effects of fiber type properties, except size, do not contribute significantly to the tissue oxygen spatial heterogeneity. However, the incorporation of the difference in oxygen consumption rates of different fiber types alone causes higher oxygen heterogeneity compared to control cases with uniform fiber properties. In contrast, incorporating variation in other fiber type-specific properties, such as myoglobin concentration, causes little change in spatial tissue oxygenation profiles. PMID:23028531
Qiao, Junlian; Zhang, Xiaodong; Lv, Liping
2017-11-01
Bench scale tests were conducted to investigate the effect of potassium permanganate pre-oxidation on the photosynthetic activity and molecular weight distribution of Anabaena spiroides. Different concentrations of potassium permanganate were added into the suspension of Anabaena spiroides, one of the dominant algae in water bloom, and after pre-oxidation of permanganate for 1 h, the results show that the removal rate significantly increases by 33.99~36.35% compared to direct coagulation. Then, the algal characteristics, including photosynthetic ability, the changes in extracellular organic matter three-dimensional fluorescence, and the distribution of molecular weight were conducted and the results show that along with increasing concentration of potassium permanganate, the photosynthetic ability of algae decreases, more extracellular organic matter is secreted, and large molecular weight matter (humic-like and fulvic-like substances) are generated. Therefore, this study demonstrates that potassium permanganate could be used in addressing the algae-rich water.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Schmidt, Daniel, E-mail: frank.wiekhorst@ptb.de; Eberbeck, Dietmar; Steinhoff, Uwe; Wiekhorst, Frank
2017-06-01
The characterization of the size distribution of magnetic nanoparticles is an important step for the evaluation of their suitability for many different applications like magnetic hyperthermia, drug targeting or Magnetic Particle Imaging. We present a new method based on the iterative Kaczmarz algorithm that enables the reconstruction of the size distribution from magnetization measurements without a priori knowledge of the distribution form. We show in simulations that the method is capable of very exact reconstructions of a given size distribution and, in that, is highly robust to noise contamination. Moreover, we applied the method on the well characterized FeraSpin™ series and obtained results that were in accordance with literature and boundary conditions based on their synthesis via separation of the original suspension FeraSpin R. It is therefore concluded that this method is a powerful and intuitive tool for reconstructing particle size distributions from magnetization measurements. - Highlights: • A new method for the size distribution fit of magnetic nanoparticles is proposed. • Employed Kaczmarz algorithm does not need a priori input or eigenwert regularization. • The method is highly robust to noise contamination. • Size distributions are reconstructed from simulated and measured magnetization curves.
Prasetya, A.; Mawadati, A.; Putri, A. M. R.; Petrus, H. T. B. M.
2018-01-01
Comminution is one of crucial steps in gold ore processing used to liberate the valuable minerals from gaunge mineral. This research is done to find the particle size distribution of gold ore after it has been treated through the comminution process in a rod mill with various number of rod and rotational speed that will results in one optimum milling condition. For the initial step, Sumbawa gold ore was crushed and then sieved to pass the 2.5 mesh and retained on the 5 mesh (this condition was taken to mimic real application in artisanal gold mining). Inserting the prepared sample into the rod mill, the observation on effect of rod-number and rotational speed was then conducted by variating the rod number of 7 and 10 while the rotational speed was varied from 60, 85, and 110 rpm. In order to be able to provide estimation on particle distribution of every condition, the comminution kinetic was applied by taking sample at 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes for size distribution analysis. The change of particle distribution of top and bottom product as time series was then treated using Rosin-Rammler distribution equation. The result shows that the homogenity of particle size and particle size distribution is affected by rod-number and rotational speed. The particle size distribution is more homogeneous by increasing of milling time, regardless of rod-number and rotational speed. Mean size of particles do not change significantly after 60 minutes milling time. Experimental results showed that the optimum condition was achieved at rotational speed of 85 rpm, using rod-number of 7.
Theoretical size distribution of fossil taxa: analysis of a null model
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Hughes Barry D
2007-03-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background This article deals with the theoretical size distribution (of number of sub-taxa of a fossil taxon arising from a simple null model of macroevolution. Model New species arise through speciations occurring independently and at random at a fixed probability rate, while extinctions either occur independently and at random (background extinctions or cataclysmically. In addition new genera are assumed to arise through speciations of a very radical nature, again assumed to occur independently and at random at a fixed probability rate. Conclusion The size distributions of the pioneering genus (following a cataclysm and of derived genera are determined. Also the distribution of the number of genera is considered along with a comparison of the probability of a monospecific genus with that of a monogeneric family.
Farrell, Mary Beth
2018-06-01
This article is the second part of a continuing education series reviewing basic statistics that nuclear medicine and molecular imaging technologists should understand. In this article, the statistics for evaluating interpretation accuracy, significance, and variance are discussed. Throughout the article, actual statistics are pulled from the published literature. We begin by explaining 2 methods for quantifying interpretive accuracy: interreader and intrareader reliability. Agreement among readers can be expressed simply as a percentage. However, the Cohen κ-statistic is a more robust measure of agreement that accounts for chance. The higher the κ-statistic is, the higher is the agreement between readers. When 3 or more readers are being compared, the Fleiss κ-statistic is used. Significance testing determines whether the difference between 2 conditions or interventions is meaningful. Statistical significance is usually expressed using a number called a probability ( P ) value. Calculation of P value is beyond the scope of this review. However, knowing how to interpret P values is important for understanding the scientific literature. Generally, a P value of less than 0.05 is considered significant and indicates that the results of the experiment are due to more than just chance. Variance, standard deviation (SD), confidence interval, and standard error (SE) explain the dispersion of data around a mean of a sample drawn from a population. SD is commonly reported in the literature. A small SD indicates that there is not much variation in the sample data. Many biologic measurements fall into what is referred to as a normal distribution taking the shape of a bell curve. In a normal distribution, 68% of the data will fall within 1 SD, 95% will fall within 2 SDs, and 99.7% will fall within 3 SDs. Confidence interval defines the range of possible values within which the population parameter is likely to lie and gives an idea of the precision of the statistic being
Particle size distribution of main-channel-bed sediments along the upper Mississippi River, USA
Remo, Jonathan; Heine, Ruben A.; Ickes, Brian
2016-01-01
In this study, we compared pre-lock-and-dam (ca. 1925) with a modern longitudinal survey of main-channel-bed sediments along a 740-km segment of the upper Mississippi River (UMR) between Davenport, IA, and Cairo, IL. This comparison was undertaken to gain a better understanding of how bed sediments are distributed longitudinally and to assess change since the completion of the UMR lock and dam navigation system and Missouri River dams (i.e., mid-twentieth century). The comparison of the historic and modern longitudinal bed sediment surveys showed similar bed sediment sizes and distributions along the study segment with the majority (> 90%) of bed sediment samples having a median diameter (D50) of fine to coarse sand. The fine tail (≤ D10) of the sediment size distributions was very fine to medium sand, and the coarse tail (≥ D90) of sediment-size distribution was coarse sand to gravel. Coarsest sediments in both surveys were found within or immediately downstream of bedrock-floored reaches. Statistical analysis revealed that the particle-size distributions between the survey samples were statistically identical, suggesting no overall difference in main-channel-bed sediment-size distribution between 1925 and present. This was a surprising result given the magnitude of river engineering undertaken along the study segment over the past ~ 90 years. The absence of substantial differences in main-channel-bed-sediment size suggests that flow competencies within the highly engineered navigation channel today are similar to conditions within the less-engineered historic channel.
Yamada, Yuhei; Yamazaki, Yoshihiro
2018-04-01
This study considered a stochastic model for cluster growth in a Markov process with a cluster size dependent additive noise. According to this model, the probability distribution of the cluster size transiently becomes an exponential or a log-normal distribution depending on the initial condition of the growth. In this letter, a master equation is obtained for this model, and derivation of the distributions is discussed.
Estimation of particle size distribution of nanoparticles from electrical ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
... blockade (CB) phenomena of electrical conduction through atiny nanoparticle. Considering the ZnO nanocomposites to be spherical, Coulomb-blockade model of quantum dot isapplied here. The size distribution of particle is estimated from that model and compared with the results obtainedfrom AFM and XRD analyses.
Size Distributions and Characterization of Native and Ground Samples for Toxicology Studies
McKay, David S.; Cooper, Bonnie L.; Taylor, Larry A.
2010-01-01
This slide presentation shows charts and graphs that review the particle size distribution and characterization of natural and ground samples for toxicology studies. There are graphs which show the volume distribution versus the number distribution for natural occurring dust, jet mill ground dust, and ball mill ground dust.
The field measurements of the activity-weighted size distributions of radon decay products
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wasiolek, P.; Montassier, N.; Hopke, P.K.
1991-01-01
Because of the importance of particle size in the calculations of dose deposited in the respiratory tract by radon progeny, the determination of the size distribution of radon decay products in indoor air had increased in interest in recent years. A system for the measurement of the activity-weighted size distribution of radon decay products at environmental levels has been developed. The system (ASC-GSA) utilizes a combination of six multiple wire screens (Graded Screen Array) sampler detector units operated in parallel. The cut off points of the samplers and the data deconvolution procedure allow to obtain the activity fractions of radon progeny in the size range 0.5-500 mn. The computer control of sampling, alpha counting and data storage permits the operation of the system on the semi-continuous basis. The primary application of the ASC-GSA system has been to collect data of activity-weighted size distributions of radon progeny in real house environments. The results of field measurements in several houses with elevated radon levels are presented
INCREASING RETURNS TO SCALE, DYNAMICS OF INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE AND SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF FIRMS
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Ying FAN; Menghui LI; Zengru DI
2006-01-01
A multi-agent model is presented to discuss the market dynamics and the size distribution of firms.The model emphasizes the effects of increasing returns to scale and gives the description of the born and death of adaptive producers. The evolution of market structure and its behavior under the technological shocks are investigated. Its dynamical results are in good agreement with some empirical "stylized facts" of industrial evolution. With the diversity of demand and adaptive growth strategies of firms, the firm size in the generalized model obeys the power-law distribution. Three factors mainly determine the competitive dynamics and the skewed size distributions of firms: 1. Self-reinforcing mechanism; 2. Adaptive firm growing strategies; 3. Demand diversity or widespread heterogeneity in the technological capabilities of firms.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Laulainen, N.S.; Alkezweeny, A.J.; Thorp, J.M.
1978-01-01
An experiment designed to measure aerosol size distributions and turbidity simultaneously over a metropolitan area is described. The particle volume size distributions measured in the city plume are found to be bimodal, with the total particle volume in the fine or submicron mode decreasing dramatically above the inversion. Aerosol extinction coefficients derived from sunphotometer optical depth measurements at four wavelengths are compared to those calculated from the measured size distributions using Mie theory with several different particle refractive indices. The accuracy of the experimental method for determining the aerosol extinction coefficient prevented any meaningful choice of the real part of particle refractive index between 1.5--1.6 and an imaginary part between 0 and -0.1i. Improvements to this type of experiment are discussed
Characterization of Bubble Size Distributions within a Bubble Column
Shahrouz Mohagheghian; Brian R. Elbing
2018-01-01
The current study experimentally examines bubble size distribution (BSD) within a bubble column and the associated characteristic length scales. Air was injected into a column of water via a single injection tube. The column diameter (63–102 mm), injection tube diameter (0.8–1.6 mm) and superficial gas velocity (1.4–55 mm/s) were varied. Large samples (up to 54,000 bubbles) of bubble sizes measured via 2D imaging were used to produce probability density functions (PDFs). The PDFs were used to...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jiang Wanquan; Yang, H.C.; Yang, S.Y.; Horng, H.E.; Hung, J.C.; Chen, Y.C.; Hong, C.-Y.
2004-01-01
A chemical co-precipitation method capable of controlling the average size and size distribution of magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nano-particles was developed. It was found that the homogeneous variation of the pH value in the solution plays a role in the size distribution of the synthesized Fe 3 O 4 particles. In this work, we added urea to the ferrite solution, followed by heating the solution to decompose the urea before titrating a base solution into the ferrite solution. Thus, the variation in pH value in the solution can become uniform, and the uniformity in the particles size can be greatly enhanced. In addition, the average particle size is adjustable via control of the amount of urea decomposing at one time. To be biocompatible, dextran is selected as the surfactant for the Fe 3 O 4 particles, because of its non-toxicity and high bio-affinity. The desired bio-probes can be coated on the dextran layer through adequate chemical reactions
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gao, Dong-Ning; Yang, Yang; Yan, Qiang [Northwest Normal University, College of Physics and Electronic Engineering (China); Wang, Xiao-Yun [Lanzhou Jiao Tong University, Department of Mathematics and Physics (China); Duan, Wen-Shan, E-mail: duanws@126.com [Northwest Normal University, College of Physics and Electronic Engineering (China)
2017-02-15
Theoretical studies are carried out for ion acoustic solitons in multicomponent nonuniform plasma considering the dust size distribution. The Korteweg−de Vries equation for ion acoustic solitons is given by using the reductive perturbation technique. Two special dust size distributions are considered. The dependences of the width and amplitude of solitons on dust size parameters are shown. It is found that the properties of a solitary wave depend on the shape of the size distribution function of dust grains.
Siegert, W; Ganzer, C; Kluth, H; Rodehutscord, M
2018-02-01
1. Herein, it was investigated whether different particle size distributions of feed ingredients achieved by grinding through a 2- or 3-mm grid would have an effect on precaecal (pc) amino acid (AA) digestibility. Maize and soybean meal were used as the test ingredients. 2. Maize and soybean meal was ground with grid sizes of 2 or 3 mm. Nine diets were prepared. The basal diet contained 500 g/kg of maize starch. The other experimental diets contained maize or soybean meal samples at concentrations of 250 and 500, and 150 and 300 g/kg, respectively, instead of maize starch. Each diet was tested using 6 replicate groups of 10 birds each. The regression approach was applied to calculate the pc AA digestibility of the test ingredients. 3. The reduction of the grid size from 3 to 2 mm reduced the average particle size of both maize and soybean meal, mainly by reducing the proportion of coarse particles. Reducing the grid size significantly (P digestibility of all AA in the soybean meal. In maize, reducing the grid size decreased the pc digestibility of all AA numerically, but not significantly (P > 0.050). The mean numerical differences in pc AA digestibility between the grid sizes were 0.045 and 0.055 in maize and soybean meal, respectively. 4. Future studies investigating the pc AA digestibility should specify the particle size distribution and should investigate the test ingredients ground similarly for practical applications.
Effect of particle size distribution on permeability in the randomly packed porous media
Markicevic, Bojan
2017-11-01
An answer of how porous medium heterogeneity influences the medium permeability is still inconclusive, where both increase and decrease in the permeability value are reported. A numerical procedure is used to generate a randomly packed porous material consisting of spherical particles. Six different particle size distributions are used including mono-, bi- and three-disperse particles, as well as uniform, normal and log-normal particle size distribution with the maximum to minimum particle size ratio ranging from three to eight for different distributions. In all six cases, the average particle size is kept the same. For all media generated, the stochastic homogeneity is checked from distribution of three coordinates of particle centers, where uniform distribution of x-, y- and z- positions is found. The medium surface area remains essentially constant except for bi-modal distribution in which medium area decreases, while no changes in the porosity are observed (around 0.36). The fluid flow is solved in such domain, and after checking for the pressure axial linearity, the permeability is calculated from the Darcy law. The permeability comparison reveals that the permeability of the mono-disperse medium is smallest, and the permeability of all poly-disperse samples is less than ten percent higher. For bi-modal particles, the permeability is for a quarter higher compared to the other media which can be explained by volumetric contribution of larger particles and larger passages for fluid flow to take place.
Preparation of leucite powders with controlled particle size distribution
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Novotná, Martina; Kloužková, A.; Maixner, J.; Šatava, Vladimír
2005-01-01
Roč. 49, č. 4 (2005), s. 252-258 ISSN 0862-5468 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA104/03/0031 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40320502 Keywords : leucite * preparation * particle size distribution Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry Impact factor: 0.463, year: 2005
Surface modification and particles size distribution control in nano-CdS/polystyrene composite film
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Min Zhirong; Ming Qiuzhang; Hai Chunliang; Han Minzeng
2003-01-01
Preparation of nano-CdS particles with surface thiol modification by microemulsion method and their influences on the particle size distribution in highly filled polystyrene-based composites were studied. The modified nano-CdS was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), light absorption and emission measurements to reveal the morphologies of the surface modifier, which are consistent with the surface molecules packing calculation. The morphologies of the surface modifier exerted a great influence not only on the optical performance of the particles themselves, but also on the size distribution of the particle in polystyrene matrix. A monolayer coverage with tightly packed thiol molecules was believed to be most effective in promoting a uniform particle size distribution and eliminating the surface defects that cause radiationless recombination. Control of the particles size distribution in polystyrene can be attained by adjusting surface coverage status of the thiol molecules based on the strong interaction between the surface modifier and the matrix
de la Hera, Esther; Gomez, Manuel; Rosell, Cristina M
2013-10-15
Rice flour is becoming very attractive as raw material, but there is lack of information about the influence of particle size on its functional properties and starch digestibility. This study evaluates the degree of dependence of the rice flour functional properties, mainly derived from starch behavior, with the particle size distribution. Hydration properties of flours and gels and starch enzymatic hydrolysis of individual fractions were assessed. Particle size heterogeneity on rice flour significantly affected functional properties and starch features, at room temperature and also after gelatinization; and the extent of that effect was grain type dependent. Particle size heterogeneity on rice flour induces different pattern in starch enzymatic hydrolysis, with the long grain having slower hydrolysis as indicated the rate constant (k). No correlation between starch digestibility and hydration properties or the protein content was observed. It seems that in intact granules interactions with other grain components must be taken into account. Overall, particle size fractionation of rice flour might be advisable for selecting specific physico-chemical properties. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Nazaripouya, Hamidreza [Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Wang, Yubo [Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Chu, Peter [Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Pota, Hemanshu R. [Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Gadh, Rajit [Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
2016-07-26
This paper proposes a new strategy to achieve voltage regulation in distributed power systems in the presence of solar energy sources and battery storage systems. The goal is to find the minimum size of battery storage and its corresponding location in the network based on the size and place of the integrated solar generation. The proposed method formulates the problem by employing the network impedance matrix to obtain an analytical solution instead of using a recursive algorithm such as power flow. The required modifications for modeling the slack and PV buses (generator buses) are utilized to increase the accuracy of the approach. The use of reactive power control to regulate the voltage regulation is not always an optimal solution as in distribution systems R/X is large. In this paper the minimum size and the best place of battery storage is achieved by optimizing the amount of both active and reactive power exchanged by battery storage and its gridtie inverter (GTI) based on the network topology and R/X ratios in the distribution system. Simulation results for the IEEE 14-bus system verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Jung, Chang Hoon; Lee, Ji Yi; Um, Junshik; Lee, Seung Soo; Kim, Yong Pyo
2018-02-01
This study investigated the optical properties of aerosols involved in different meteorological events, including smog and Asian dust days. Carbonaceous components and inorganic species were measured in Seoul, Korea between 25 and 31 March 2012. Based on the measurements, the optical properties of aerosols were calculated by considering composition, size distribution, and mixing state of aerosols. To represent polydisperse size distributions of aerosols, a lognormal size distribution with a wide range of geometric mean diameters and geometric standard deviations was used. For the optical property calculations, the Mie theory was used to compute single-scattering properties of aerosol particles with varying size and composition. Analysis of the sampled data showed that the water-soluble components of organic matter increased on smog days, whereas crustal elements increased on dust days. The water content significantly influenced the optical properties of aerosols during the smog days as a result of high relative humidity and an increase in the water-soluble component. The absorption coefficients depended on the aerosol mixture type and the aerosol size distributions. Therefore, to improve our knowledge on radiative impacts of aerosols, especially the regional impacts of aerosols in East Asia, accurate measurements of aerosols, such as size distribution, composition, and mixture type, under different meteorological conditions are required.
Concentration and Size Distribution of Particulate Matter in a Broiler House Ambient Air
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ismael Rodrigues Amador
2016-07-01
Full Text Available Atmospheric particulate matter (PM is an important constituent of ambient air. The determination of its concentration and size distribution in different environments is essential because of its ability to penetrate deeply into animal and human respiratory tract. In this study, air sampling was performed in a broiler house to estimate the concentration and size distribution of PM emitted along with its activities. Low-vol impactor (< 10 mm, cyclones (< 2.5 e < 1.0 mm, and Sioutas cascade impactor (> 2.5; 1.0 – 2.5; 0.50 – 1.0; 0.25 – 0.50; < 0.25 mm connected with membrane pumps were used. PM10 showed high concentration (209 - 533 mg m-3. PM2.5 and PM1.0 initially showed relatively low concentration (20.8 and 16.0 mg m-3 respectively with significantly increasing levels (412.9 and 344.8 mg m-3 respectively during the samplings. It was also possible to observe the contribution of fine particles. This was evidenced by the high correlation between PM2.5 and PM1.0 and by the profile of particle distribution in the Sioutas sampler. PM concentration levels are considered excessively high, with great potential to affect animal and human health. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v8i3.847
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Beddows, D.C.S.; Dall’Osto, M.; Harrison, R. M.; Kulmala, M.; Asmi, A.; Wiedensohler, A.; Laj, P.; Fjaeraa, A.M.; Sellegri, K.; Birmili, W.; Bukowiecki, N.; Weingartner, E.; Baltensperger, U.; Ždímal, Vladimír; Zíková, Naděžda; Putaud, J.-P.; Marinoni, A.; Tunved, P.; Hansson, H.-C.; Feibig, M.; Kivekäs, N.; Swietlicki, E.; Lihavainen, H.; Asmi, E.; Ulevicius, V.; Aalto, P.P.; Mihalopoulos, N.; Kalivitis, N.; Kalapov, I.; Kiss, G.; de Leeuw, G.; Henzing, B.; O'Dowd, C.; Jennings, S.G.; Flentje, H.; Meinhardt, F.; Ries, L.; Denier van der Gon19, H.A.C.; Visschedijk, A.J.H.; Swietlicki, E.
2014-01-01
Roč. 14, č. 8 (2014), s. 4327-4348 ISSN 1680-7316 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 36833 - EUCAARI; European Commission(XE) 26140 - EUSAAR Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : particle size distribution * clusters * aerosol size distribution Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 5.053, year: 2014
Prediction of oil droplet size distribution in agitated aquatic environments
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Khelifa, A.; Lee, K.; Hill, P.S.
2004-01-01
Oil spilled at sea undergoes many transformations based on physical, biological and chemical processes. Vertical dispersion is the hydrodynamic mechanism controlled by turbulent mixing due to breaking waves, vertical velocity, density gradients and other environmental factors. Spilled oil is dispersed in the water column as small oil droplets. In order to estimate the mass of an oil slick in the water column, it is necessary to know how the droplets formed. Also, the vertical dispersion and fate of oil spilled in aquatic environments can be modelled if the droplet-size distribution of the oil droplets is known. An oil spill remediation strategy can then be implemented. This paper presented a newly developed Monte Carlo model to predict droplet-size distribution due to Brownian motion, turbulence and a differential settling at equilibrium. A kinematic model was integrated into the proposed model to simulate droplet breakage. The key physical input of the model is the maximum droplet size permissible in the simulation. Laboratory studies were found to be in good agreement with field studies. 26 refs., 1 tab., 5 figs
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Amy, G.L.; Kuo, C.J.; Sierka, R.A.
1988-01-01
Four different sources of humic substances were studied to determine the effects of ozonation on molecular weight distributions, based on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP). Solutions of two soil-derived fulvic acids and a one soil-derived humic acid, as well as dissolved organic matter (DOM) associated with a natural water source were studied. Both gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and ultrafiltration (UF) were employed to define apparent molecular weight (AMW). Applied ozone doses ranged from 2.0 to 2.5 mg O 3 /mg DOC. Overall samples of untreated and ozonated waters, as well as individual molecular weight fractions, were characterized according to DOC, uv absorbance, and THMFP. Ozonation resulted in a significant disappearance of higher AMW material with a corresponding increase in lower AMW material. Although little overall reduction in DOC concentration was observed, significant overall reductions in UV absorbance and THMFP levels were observed
Inference of R 0 and Transmission Heterogeneity from the Size Distribution of Stuttering Chains
Blumberg, Seth; Lloyd-Smith, James O.
2013-01-01
For many infectious disease processes such as emerging zoonoses and vaccine-preventable diseases, and infections occur as self-limited stuttering transmission chains. A mechanistic understanding of transmission is essential for characterizing the risk of emerging diseases and monitoring spatio-temporal dynamics. Thus methods for inferring and the degree of heterogeneity in transmission from stuttering chain data have important applications in disease surveillance and management. Previous researchers have used chain size distributions to infer , but estimation of the degree of individual-level variation in infectiousness (as quantified by the dispersion parameter, ) has typically required contact tracing data. Utilizing branching process theory along with a negative binomial offspring distribution, we demonstrate how maximum likelihood estimation can be applied to chain size data to infer both and the dispersion parameter that characterizes heterogeneity. While the maximum likelihood value for is a simple function of the average chain size, the associated confidence intervals are dependent on the inferred degree of transmission heterogeneity. As demonstrated for monkeypox data from the Democratic Republic of Congo, this impacts when a statistically significant change in is detectable. In addition, by allowing for superspreading events, inference of shifts the threshold above which a transmission chain should be considered anomalously large for a given value of (thus reducing the probability of false alarms about pathogen adaptation). Our analysis of monkeypox also clarifies the various ways that imperfect observation can impact inference of transmission parameters, and highlights the need to quantitatively evaluate whether observation is likely to significantly bias results. PMID:23658504
Distribution of Different Sized Ocular Surface Vessels in Diabetics and Normal Individuals.
Banaee, Touka; Pourreza, Hamidreza; Doosti, Hassan; Abrishami, Mojtaba; Ehsaei, Asieh; Basiry, Mohsen; Pourreza, Reza
2017-01-01
To compare the distribution of different sized vessels using digital photographs of the ocular surface of diabetic and normal individuals. In this cross-sectional study, red-free conjunctival photographs of diabetic and normal individuals, aged 30-60 years, were taken under defined conditions and analyzed using a Radon transform-based algorithm for vascular segmentation. The image areas occupied by vessels (AOV) of different diameters were calculated. The main outcome measure was the distribution curve of mean AOV of different sized vessels. Secondary outcome measures included total AOV and standard deviation (SD) of AOV of different sized vessels. Two hundred and sixty-eight diabetic patients and 297 normal (control) individuals were included, differing in age (45.50 ± 5.19 vs. 40.38 ± 6.19 years, P distribution curves of mean AOV differed between patients and controls (smaller AOV for larger vessels in patients; P distribution curve of vessels compared to controls. Presence of diabetes mellitus is associated with contraction of larger vessels in the conjunctiva. Smaller vessels dilate with diabetic retinopathy. These findings may be useful in the photographic screening of diabetes mellitus and retinopathy.
Modeling fractal structure of city-size distributions using correlation functions.
Chen, Yanguang
2011-01-01
Zipf's law is one the most conspicuous empirical facts for cities, however, there is no convincing explanation for the scaling relation between rank and size and its scaling exponent. Using the idea from general fractals and scaling, I propose a dual competition hypothesis of city development to explain the value intervals and the special value, 1, of the power exponent. Zipf's law and Pareto's law can be mathematically transformed into one another, but represent different processes of urban evolution, respectively. Based on the Pareto distribution, a frequency correlation function can be constructed. By scaling analysis and multifractals spectrum, the parameter interval of Pareto exponent is derived as (0.5, 1]; Based on the Zipf distribution, a size correlation function can be built, and it is opposite to the first one. By the second correlation function and multifractals notion, the Pareto exponent interval is derived as [1, 2). Thus the process of urban evolution falls into two effects: one is the Pareto effect indicating city number increase (external complexity), and the other the Zipf effect indicating city size growth (internal complexity). Because of struggle of the two effects, the scaling exponent varies from 0.5 to 2; but if the two effects reach equilibrium with each other, the scaling exponent approaches 1. A series of mathematical experiments on hierarchical correlation are employed to verify the models and a conclusion can be drawn that if cities in a given region follow Zipf's law, the frequency and size correlations will follow the scaling law. This theory can be generalized to interpret the inverse power-law distributions in various fields of physical and social sciences.
Determination of the particle size distribution in a powder using radiotracers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Revilla D, R.
1974-01-01
To determine experimentally the particle size distribution in a powder the meshed method is generally used. This method has the disadvantage that in the obtained distribution is not observed at detail the fine structure of such distribution. In this work, a method for obtaining the distribution of particle size using radiotracers is presented. In the obtained distribution by this method it is observed with more detail the fine structure of the distribution, comparing with the obtained results by the classical method of meshed. The radiotracer method has major resolution for the experimental determination mentioned. In the chapter 1, it is done a brief analysis about theoretical aspects related with the method. In the first part it is analysed the particle behavior (sedimenting) in a fluid. The second part treats the relating with the radioactivity of an activated material as well as its detection. In the chapter 2, a description of the method is done also the experimental problems to applying to the alumina crystals sample are discussed. In the chapter 3 the obtained results and the mistake calculations in such results are showed. Finally, in the chapter 4 the conclusions and recommendations are given which is possible to obtain better results and improve to those in this work were obtained. (Author)
Zhou, Chunhong; Shen, Xiaojing; Liu, Zirui; Zhang, Yangmei; Xin, Jinyuan
2018-04-01
A coupled aerosol-cloud model is essential for investigating the formation of haze and fog and the interaction of aerosols with clouds and precipitation. One of the key tasks of such a model is to produce correct mass and number size distributions of aerosols. In this paper, a parameterization scheme for aerosol size distribution in initial emission, which took into account the measured mass and number size distributions of aerosols, was developed in the GRAPES-CUACE [Global/Regional Assimilation and PrEdiction System-China Meteorological Administration (CMA) Unified Atmospheric Chemistry Environment model]—an online chemical weather forecast system that contains microphysical processes and emission, transport, and chemical conversion of sectional multi-component aerosols. In addition, the competitive mechanism between nucleation and condensation for secondary aerosol formation was improved, and the dry deposition was also modified to be in consistent with the real depositing length. Based on the above improvements, the GRAPES-CUACE simulations were verified against observational data during 1-31 January 2013, when a series of heavy regional haze-fog events occurred in eastern China. The results show that the aerosol number size distribution from the improved experiment was much closer to the observation, whereas in the old experiment the number concentration was higher in the nucleation mode and lower in the accumulation mode. Meanwhile, the errors in aerosol number size distribution as diagnosed by its sectional mass size distribution were also reduced. Moreover, simulations of organic carbon, sulfate, and other aerosol components were improved and the overestimation as well as underestimation of PM2.5 concentration in eastern China was significantly reduced, leading to increased correlation coefficient between simulated and observed PM2.5 by more than 70%. In the remote areas where bad simulation results were produced previously, the correlation coefficient
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Pendse, H.P.
1992-10-01
In this paper we present a novel measurement technique for monitoring particle size distributions of industrial colloidal slurries based on ultrasonic spectroscopy and mathematical deconvolution. An on-line sensor prototype has been developed and tested extensively in laboratory and production settings using mineral pigment slurries. Evaluation to date shows that the sensor is capable of providing particle size distributions, without any assumptions regarding their functional form, over diameters ranging from 0.1 to 100 micrometers in slurries with particle concentrations of 10 to 50 volume percents. The newly developed on-line sensor allows one to obtain particle size distributions of commonly encountered inorganic pigment slurries under industrial processing conditions without dilution.
The Significance of Farm Size in the Evaluation of Labour Productivity in Agriculture
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Martina Novotná
2016-01-01
Full Text Available The paper deal with the analysis of difference in labour productivity of farms categorised according to their size, to determine if the set subsidy system influences labour productivity in the size groups of the farms. The source of data for enterprises analysis was the firms database, which contains accounting data of 926 farms with at least one employee. The observed data were from the 6 year period (2007–2012. The farms were divided, according to their size into four categories defined by the European Commission: micro, small, medium and large enterprises. The analysis of the labour productivity I based on the added value and labour costs revealed that there are big differences of the labour productivity levels in particular size groups of farms. The further analysis revealed that an adjustment of the farm approach of the labour productivity, when the paid operation subsidies are added (labour productivity II, changes this conclusion and the differences between particular size groups of farms decreased. Using σ-convergence, it was proved that the relative variability of the labour productivity II values decreased significantly in the case of the medium-sized farms. We can say that subsidies significantly influence the labour productivity in farms. On one hand, there is decrease of differences between the level values of particular size groups of farms; on the other hand, there is no significant decrease its variability (except the medium-sized farms.
Rotational distributions of molecular photoions following resonant excitation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Poliakoff, E.D.; Chan, J.C.K.; White, M.G.
1986-01-01
We demonstrate that the photoelectron energy mediates the rotational energy distribution of N + 2 ions created by photoionization, and conversely, that rotational energy determinations probe resonant excitation in molecular photoionization. Experimentally, this is accomplished by monitoring the dispersed fluorescence from N + 2 (B 2 Σ + /sub u/) photoions to determine their rotational energy distribution. These results demonstrate that while dipole selection rules constrain the total angular momentum of the electron--ion complex, the partitioning of angular momentum between the photoelectron and photoion depends on the photoejection dynamics. Implications for photoionization and electron impact ionizatin studies are discussed
Stable Size Distribution of Amyloid Plaques Over the Course of Alzheimer Disease
Serrano-Pozo, Alberto; Mielke, Matthew L.; Muzitansky, Alona; Gómez-Isla, Teresa; Growdon, John H.; Bacskai, Brian J.; Betensky, Rebecca A.; Frosch, Matthew P.; Hyman, Bradley T.
2012-01-01
Amyloid-β plaques are a key pathological feature of Alzheimer disease (AD), but whether plaque sizes increase or stabilize over the course of AD is unknown. We measured the size distribution of total immunoreactive (10D5-positive) and dense-core (Thioflavine-S-positive) plaques in the temporal neocortex of a large group of AD and plaque-bearing age-matched non-demented subjects to test the hypothesis that amyloid plaques continue to grow along with the progression of the disease. The size of amyloid-β (10D5)-positive plaques did not differ between groups whereas dense-core plaques from the AD group were slightly larger than those in the non-demented group (~25%–30%, p = 0.01). Within the AD group, dense-core plaque size did not independently correlate with duration of clinical disease (from 4 to 21 years, p = 0.68), whereas 10D5-positive plaque size correlated negatively with disease duration (p = 0.01). By contrast, an earlier age of symptom onset strongly predicted a larger postmortem plaque size; this effect was independent of disease duration and the presence of the APOEε4 allele (p = 0.0001). We conclude that plaques vary in size among patients, with larger size distributions correlating with an earlier age of onset, but plaques do not substantially increase in size over the clinical course of the disease. PMID:22805771
Aerosol indirect effect from turbulence-induced broadening of cloud-droplet size distributions
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Chandrakar, Kamal Kant; Cantrell, Will; Chang, Kelken; Ciochetto, David; Niedermeier, Dennis; Ovchinnikov, Mikhail; Shaw, Raymond A.; Yang, Fan
2016-11-28
The influence of aerosol concentration on cloud droplet size distribution is investigated in a laboratory chamber that enables turbulent cloud formation through moist convection. The experiments allow steady-state microphysics to be achieved, with aerosol input balanced by cloud droplet growth and fallout. As aerosol concentration is increased the cloud droplet mean diameter decreases as expected, but the width of the size distribution also decreases sharply. The aerosol input allows for cloud generation in the limiting regimes of fast microphysics (τc < τt) for high aerosol concentration, and slow microphysics (τc > τt) for low aerosol concentration; here, τc is the phase relaxation time and τt is the turbulence correlation time. The increase in the width of the droplet size distribution for the low aerosol limit is consistent with larger variability of supersaturation due to the slow microphysical response. A stochastic differential equation for supersaturation predicts that the standard deviation of the squared droplet radius should increase linearly with a system time scale defined as τs-1 =τc-1 + τt-1, and the measurements are in excellent agreement with this finding. This finding underscores the importance of droplet size dispersion for the aerosol indirect effect: increasing aerosol concentration not only suppresses precipitation formation through reduction of the mean droplet diameter, but perhaps more importantly, through narrowing of the droplet size distribution due to reduced supersaturation fluctuations. Supersaturation fluctuations in the low aerosol / slow microphysics limit are likely of leading importance for precipitation formation.
Optimal placement and sizing of wind / solar based DG sources in distribution system
Guan, Wanlin; Guo, Niao; Yu, Chunlai; Chen, Xiaoguang; Yu, Haiyang; Liu, Zhipeng; Cui, Jiapeng
2017-06-01
Proper placement and sizing of Distributed Generation (DG) in distribution system can obtain maximum potential benefits. This paper proposes quantum particle swarm algorithm (QPSO) based wind turbine generation unit (WTGU) and photovoltaic (PV) array placement and sizing approach for real power loss reduction and voltage stability improvement of distribution system. Performance modeling of wind and solar generation system are described and classified into PQ\\PQ (V)\\PI type models in power flow. Considering the WTGU and PV based DGs in distribution system is geographical restrictive, the optimal area and DG capacity limits of each bus in the setting area need to be set before optimization, the area optimization method is proposed . The method has been tested on IEEE 33-bus radial distribution systems to demonstrate the performance and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Effect of pore size distribution and flow segregation on dispersion in porous media
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Carbonell, R.G.
1978-11-01
In order to study the effect of the pore size distribution and flow segregation on dispersion in a porous media, the dispersion of solute in an array of parallel pores is considered. Equations are obtained for the dispersion coefficient in laminar and turbulent flow, as a function of the particle Peclet number. The theory fits quite well cumulative experimental data from various researchers in the Peclet number range from 10 -3 to 10 6 . The model also predicts some trends, backed by experimental data, regarding the effect of particle size, particle size distribution and fluid velocity on dispersion
Distribution of genotype network sizes in sequence-to-structure genotype-phenotype maps.
Manrubia, Susanna; Cuesta, José A
2017-04-01
An essential quantity to ensure evolvability of populations is the navigability of the genotype space. Navigability, understood as the ease with which alternative phenotypes are reached, relies on the existence of sufficiently large and mutually attainable genotype networks. The size of genotype networks (e.g. the number of RNA sequences folding into a particular secondary structure or the number of DNA sequences coding for the same protein structure) is astronomically large in all functional molecules investigated: an exhaustive experimental or computational study of all RNA folds or all protein structures becomes impossible even for moderately long sequences. Here, we analytically derive the distribution of genotype network sizes for a hierarchy of models which successively incorporate features of increasingly realistic sequence-to-structure genotype-phenotype maps. The main feature of these models relies on the characterization of each phenotype through a prototypical sequence whose sites admit a variable fraction of letters of the alphabet. Our models interpolate between two limit distributions: a power-law distribution, when the ordering of sites in the prototypical sequence is strongly constrained, and a lognormal distribution, as suggested for RNA, when different orderings of the same set of sites yield different phenotypes. Our main result is the qualitative and quantitative identification of those features of sequence-to-structure maps that lead to different distributions of genotype network sizes. © 2017 The Author(s).
Preliminary study of elemental mass size distribution of urban aerosol collected in Debrecen
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kertesz, Zs.; Borbely-Kiss, I.; Kiss, A.Z.; Koltay, E.; Szabo, Gy.
2000-01-01
peak appeared in the 8-16 μm and in the 16-30 μm size fraction. The size distribution of these was very similar in both periods, although in summer there is a tendency towards smaller aerodynamic diameters. The mass size distribution of the elements S, K, Cl, Zn, Cu has two modes: one peak occurs between 0.25 and 0.5 μm, the coarse particles has a peak around 16 μm. Usually an indication of a third peak appears in the 1-2 μm size fraction. This can be mainly observed in the samples collected in the winter period. In the case of Cl we observed a coarse and a condensation peak in winter, in summer only a condensation peak appeared. The distribution of K has a bimodial shape (originates from biomass burning and from soil), but there is no significant difference between the summer and winter concentrations, on the contrary as it should have been expected. This is a preliminary study, we plan to carry on campaign samplings with the PCI, and usual sampling with the streaker sampler. (author)
Study of Cluster-size Effect on Damage Formation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Aoki, Takaaki; Seki, Toshio; Nakai, Atsuko; Matsuo, Jiro; Takaoka, Gikan
2003-01-01
Computer simulation and experiments were performed in order to understand the effect of cluster size on damage formation. Results of molecular dynamics simulations of cluster impact on solid targets derived the model function, which explains the relationship among cluster size, incident energy and number of displacements. On the other hand, time of flight mass measurement system was installed a cluster irradiation system, so that cluster ion beam which cluster size distribution is well known can be irradiated on the target. The damage properties under various cluster irradiation conditions were examined using RBS. The results from computer simulations and experiments showed good agreements with each other, which suggests that irradiation damage by cluster ion beam can be controlled by selecting cluster size distribution and incident energy
Asteroid size distributions for the main belt and for asteroid families
Kazantzev, A.; Kazantzeva, L.
2017-12-01
The asteroid-size distribution for he Eos family was constructed. The WISE database containing the albedo p and the size D of over 80,000 asteroids was used. The b parameter of the power-law dependence has a minimum at some average values of the asteroid size of the family. A similar dependence b(D) exists for the whole asteroid belt. An assumption on the possible similarity of the formation mechanisms of the asteroid belt as a whole and separate families is made.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Konopka, Ladislav; Kosek, Juraj
2015-01-01
Polyethylene particles of various sizes are present in industrial gas-dispersion reactors and downstream processing units. The contact of the particles with a device wall as well as the mutual particle collisions cause electrons on the particle surface to redistribute in the system. The undesirable triboelectric charging results in several operational problems and safety risks in industrial systems, for example in the fluidized-bed polymerization reactor. We studied the charging of polyethylene particles caused by the particle-particle interactions in gas. Our model employs the Discrete Element Method (DEM) describing the particle dynamics and incorporates the ‘Trapped Electron Approach’ as the physical basis for the considered charging mechanism. The model predicts the particle charge distribution for systems with various particle size distributions and various level of segregation. Simulation results are in a qualitative agreement with experimental observations of similar particulate systems specifically in two aspects: 1) Big particles tend to gain positive charge and small particles the negative one. 2) The wider the particle size distribution is, the more pronounced is the charging process. Our results suggest that not only the size distribution, but also the effect of the spatial segregation of the polyethylene particles significantly influence the resulting charge distribution ‘generated’ in the system. The level of particle segregation as well as the particle size distribution of polyethylene particles can be in practice adjusted by the choice of supported catalysts, by the conditions in the fluidized-bed polymerization reactor and by the fluid dynamics. We also attempt to predict how the reactor temperature affects the triboelectric charging of particles. (paper)
Li, C.; Miller, J.; Wang, J.; Koley, S. S.; Katz, J.
2017-10-01
This laboratory experimental study investigates the temporal evolution of the size distribution of subsurface oil droplets generated as breaking waves entrain oil slicks. The measurements are performed for varying wave energy, as well as large variations in oil viscosity and oil-water interfacial tension, the latter achieved by premixing the oil with dispersant. In situ measurements using digital inline holography at two magnifications are applied for measuring the droplet sizes and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) for determining the temporal evolution of turbulence after wave breaking. All early (2-10 s) size distributions have two distinct size ranges with different slopes. For low dispersant to oil ratios (DOR), the transition between them could be predicted based on a turbulent Weber (We) number in the 2-4 range, suggesting that turbulence plays an important role. For smaller droplets, all the number size distributions have power of about -2.1, and for larger droplets, the power decreases well below -3. The measured steepening of the size distribution over time is predicted by a simple model involving buoyant rise and turbulence dispersion. Conversely, for DOR 1:100 and 1:25 oils, the diameter of slope transition decreases from ˜1 mm to 46 and 14 µm, respectively, much faster than the We-based prediction, and the size distribution steepens with increasing DOR. Furthermore, the concentration of micron-sized droplets of DOR 1:25 oil increases for the first 10 min after entrainment. These phenomena are presumably caused by the observed formation and breakup oil microthreads associated with tip streaming.
Determination of particle size distribution of salt crystals in aqueous slurries
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Miller, A.G.
1977-10-01
A method for determining particle size distribution of water-soluble crystals in aqueous slurries is described. The salt slurries, containing sodium salts of predominantly nitrate, but also nitrite, sulfate, phosphate, aluminates, carbonate, and hydroxide, occur in radioactive, concentrated chemical waste from the reprocessing of nuclear fuel elements. The method involves separating the crystals from the aqueous phase, drying them, and then dispersing the crystals in a nonaqueous medium based on nitroethane. Ultrasonic treatment is important in dispersing the sample into its fundamental crystals. The dispersed crystals are sieved into appropriate size ranges for counting with a HIAC brand particle counter. A preponderance of very fine particles in a slurry was found to increase the difficulty of effecting complete dispersion of the crystals because of the tendency to retain traces of aqueous mother liquor. Traces of moisture produce agglomerates of crystals, the extent of agglomeration being dependent on the amount of moisture present. The procedure is applicable to particles within the 2 to 600 μm size range of the HIAC particle counter. The procedure provides an effective means for measuring particle size distribution of crystals in aqueous salt slurries even when most crystals are less than 10 μm in size. 19 figures
Firm size and productivity. Evidence from the electricity distribution industry in Brazil
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tovar, Beatriz; Javier Ramos-Real, Francisco; De Almeida, Edmar Fagundes
2011-01-01
In this paper we apply Stochastic Frontier Analysis through a distance function to investigate the impact of firm size on productivity development in electricity distribution. We use a sample of seventeen Brazilian firms from 1998 to 2005 and decompose productivity into technical efficiency, scale efficiency and technical change. Moreover, a further step is to decompose the technical change measurement into several components. The results indicate that firm size is important for industry's productivity, and therefore a key aspect to consider when making decisions that affect the market structure in the electricity distribution industry. (author)
Controlling semiconductor nanoparticle size distributions with tailored ultrashort pulses
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hergenroeder, R; Miclea, M; Hommes, V
2006-01-01
The laser generation of size-controlled semiconductor nanoparticle formation under gas phase conditions is investigated. It is shown that the size distribution can be changed if picosecond pulse sequences of tailored ultra short laser pulses (<200 fs) are employed. By delivering the laser energy in small packages, a temporal energy flux control at the target surface is achieved, which results in the control of the thermodynamic pathway the material takes. The concept is tested with silicon and germanium, both materials with a predictable response to double pulse sequences, which allows deduction of the materials' response to complicated pulse sequences. An automatic, adaptive learning algorithm was employed to demonstrate a future strategy that enables the definition of more complex optimization targets such as particle size on materials less predictable than semiconductors
Grain-size distributions and grain boundaries of chalcopyrite-type thin films
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Abou-Ras, D.; Schorr, S.; Schock, H.W.
2007-01-01
CuInSe 2 , CuGaSe 2 , Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 and CuInS 2 thin-film solar absorbers in completed solar cells were studied in cross section by means of electronbackscatter diffraction. From the data acquired, grain-size distributions were extracted, and also the most frequent grain boundaries were determined. The grain-size distributions of all chalcopyrite-type thin films studied can be described well by lognormal distribution functions. The most frequent grainboundary types in these thin films are 60 - left angle 221 right angle tet and 71 - left angle 110 right angle tet (near) Σ3 twin boundaries. These results can be related directly to the importance of {112} tet planes during the topotactical growth of chalcopyrite-type thin films. Based on energetic considerations, it is assumed that the most frequent twin boundaries exhibit a 180 - left angle 221 right angle tet constellation. (orig.)
Rangel-Alvarado, Rodrigo Benjamin; Nazarenko, Yevgen; Ariya, Parisa A.
2015-11-01
Physicochemical processes of nucleation constitute a major uncertainty in understanding aerosol-cloud interactions. To improve the knowledge of the ice nucleation process, we characterized physical, chemical, and biological properties of fresh snow using a suite of state-of-the-art techniques based on mass spectrometry, electron microscopy, chromatography, and optical particle sizing. Samples were collected at two North American Arctic sites, as part of international campaigns (2006 and 2009), and in the city of Montreal, Canada, over the last decade. Particle size distribution analyses, in the range of 3 nm to 10 µm, showed that nanosized particles are the most numerous (38-71%) in fresh snow, with a significant portion (11 to 19%) less than 100 nm in size. Particles with diameters less than 200 nm consistently exhibited relatively high ice-nucleating properties (on average ranged from -19.6 ± 2.4 to -8.1 ± 2.6°C). Chemical analysis of the nanosized fraction suggests that they contain bioorganic materials, such as amino acids, as well as inorganic compounds with similar characteristics to mineral dust. The implication of nanoparticle ubiquity and abundance in diverse snow ecosystems are discussed in the context of their importance in understanding atmospheric nucleation processes.
Yang, Ssu-Han; Yang, Tsung-Ming; Lin, Hui-Ling; Tsai, Ying-Huang; Fang, Tien-Pei; Wan, Gwo-Hwa
2018-02-01
Few studies have evaluated the size distribution of inhaled and exhaled aerosolized drugs, or the effect of heated humidification on particle size and lung deposition. The present study evaluated these aspects of bronchodilator (salbutamol/ipratropium) delivery using a lung model in the absence and presence of heat and humidification. We positioned filters to collect and measure the initial drug, inhaled drug, and exhaled drug. Particle size distribution was evaluated using an 8-stage Marple personal cascade impactor with 0.2-μm polycarbonate filters. A greater inhaled drug mass was delivered using a vibrating mesh nebulizer (VMN) than by using a small volume nebulizer (SVN), when heated humidifiers were not employed. When heated and humidified medical gas was used, there was no significant difference between the inhaled drug mass delivered by the VMN and that delivered by the SVN. A significantly greater mass of inhaled 1.55-μm drug particles was produced by the VMN than with the SVN, under heated and humidified conditions. However, the mass median aerodynamic diameters (MMADs) of the aerosolized drug produced by the SVN and VMN did not differ significantly under the same conditions. The VMN produced more fine particles of salbutamol/ipratropium, and the drug particle size clearly increased in the presence of heat and humidification. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Sediment Size Distribution at Three Rivers with Different Types of ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
ADOWIE PERE
sediment size distribution based on land use is very crucial in river maintenance. ... a basis for river catchment management study and can be used by river management .... small. In this case, the difference between upstream and downstream ...
van Drooge, D J; Hinrichs, W L J; Visser, M R; Frijlink, H W
2006-03-09
The molecular distribution in fully amorphous solid dispersions consisting of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP)-diazepam and inulin-diazepam was studied. One glass transition temperature (T(g)), as determined by temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC), was observed in PVP-diazepam solid dispersions prepared by fusion for all drug loads tested (10-80 wt.%). The T(g) of these solid dispersions gradually changed with composition and decreased from 177 degrees C for pure PVP to 46 degrees C for diazepam. These observations indicate that diazepam was dispersed in PVP on a molecular level. However, in PVP-diazepam solid dispersions prepared by freeze drying, two T(g)'s were observed for drug loads above 35 wt.% indicating phase separation. One T(g) indicated the presence of amorphous diazepam clusters, the other T(g) was attributed to a PVP-rich phase in which diazepam was dispersed on a molecular level. With both the value of the latter T(g) and the DeltaC(p) of the diazepam glass transition the concentrations of molecular dispersed diazepam could be calculated (27-35 wt.%). Both methods gave similar results. Water vapour sorption (DVS) experiments revealed that the PVP-matrix was hydrophobised by the incorporated diazepam. TMDSC and DVS results were used to estimate the size of diazepam clusters in freeze dried PVP-diazepam solid dispersions, which appeared to be in the nano-meter range. The inulin-diazepam solid dispersions prepared by spray freeze drying showed one T(g) for drug loads up to 35 wt.% indicating homogeneous distribution on a molecular level. However, this T(g) was independent of the drug load, which is unexpected because diazepam has a lower T(g) than inulin (46 and 155 degrees C, respectively). For higher drug loads, a T(g) of diazepam as well as a T(g) of the inulin-rich phase was observed, indicating the formation of amorphous diazepam clusters. From the DeltaC(p) of the diazepam glass transition the amount of molecularly dispersed
Cooke, Jason; Henderson, Eric J.
2009-01-01
Experiments are presented that demonstrate the size-exclusion properties of zeolites and reveal the reason for naming zeolites "molecular sieves". If an IR spectrometer is available, the adsorption or exclusion of alcohols of varying sizes from dichloromethane or chloroform solutions can be readily demonstrated by monitoring changes in the…
Aerosol particle size distribution in the stratosphere retrieved from SCIAMACHY limb measurements
Malinina, Elizaveta; Rozanov, Alexei; Rozanov, Vladimir; Liebing, Patricia; Bovensmann, Heinrich; Burrows, John P.
2018-04-01
health, stratospheric aerosol plays an important role in atmospheric chemistry and climate change. In particular, information about the amount and distribution of stratospheric aerosols is required to initialize climate models, as well as validate aerosol microphysics models and investigate geoengineering. In addition, good knowledge of stratospheric aerosol loading is needed to increase the retrieval accuracy of key trace gases (e.g. ozone or water vapour) when interpreting remote sensing measurements of the scattered solar light. The most commonly used characteristics to describe stratospheric aerosols are the aerosol extinction coefficient and Ångström coefficient. However, the use of particle size distribution parameters along with the aerosol number density is a more optimal approach. In this paper we present a new retrieval algorithm to obtain the particle size distribution of stratospheric aerosol from space-borne observations of the scattered solar light in the limb-viewing geometry. While the mode radius and width of the aerosol particle size distribution are retrieved, the aerosol particle number density profile remains unchanged. The latter is justified by a lower sensitivity of the limb-scattering measurements to changes in this parameter. To our knowledge this is the first data set providing two parameters of the particle size distribution of stratospheric aerosol from space-borne measurements of scattered solar light. Typically, the mode radius and w can be retrieved with an uncertainty of less than 20 %. The algorithm was successfully applied to the tropical region (20° N-20° S) for 10 years (2002-2012) of SCIAMACHY observations in limb-viewing geometry, establishing a unique data set. Analysis of this new climatology for the particle size distribution parameters showed clear increases in the mode radius after the tropical volcanic eruptions, whereas no distinct behaviour of the absolute distribution width could be identified. A tape recorder
Dragun, Zrinka; Krasnići, Nesrete; Kolar, Nicol; Filipović Marijić, Vlatka; Ivanković, Dušica; Erk, Marijana
2018-05-15
Cytosolic distributions of nonessential metals Cd and Tl and seven essential elements among compounds of different molecular masses were studied in the liver of brown trout (Salmo trutta) from the karstic Krka River in Croatia. Analyses were done by size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography and high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Common feature of Cd and Tl, as highly toxic elements, was their distribution within only two narrow peaks. The increase of cytosolic Cd concentrations was reflected in marked increase of Cd elution within low molecular mass peak (maximum at ∼15 kDa), presumably containing metallothioneins (MTs), which indicated successful Cd detoxification in brown trout liver under studied exposure conditions. Contrary, the increase of cytosolic Tl concentrations was reflected in marked increase of Tl elution within high molecular mass peak (maximum at 140 kDa), which probably indicated incomplete Tl detoxification. Common feature of the majority of studied essential elements was their distribution within more peaks, often broad and not well resolved, which is consistent with their numerous physiological functions. Among observed associations of essential metals/nonmetal to proteins, the following could be singled out: Cu and Zn association to MTs, Fe association to storage protein ferritin, and Se association to compounds of very low molecular masses (<5 kDa). The obtained results present the first step towards identification of metal-binding compounds in hepatic cytosol of brown trout, and thus a significant contribution to better understanding of metal fate in the liver of that important bioindicator species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Why liquid displacement methods are sometimes wrong in estimating the pore-size distribution
Gijsbertsen-Abrahamse, A.J.; Boom, R.M.; Padt, van der A.
2004-01-01
The liquid displacement method is a commonly used method to determine the pore size distribution of micro- and ultrafiltration membranes. One of the assumptions for the calculation of the pore sizes is that the pores are parallel and thus are not interconnected. To show that the estimated pore size
Determination of size distribution of small DNA fragments by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lau How Mooi
1998-01-01
Size distribution determination of DNA fragments can be normally determined by the agarose gel electrophoresis, including the normal DNA banding pattern analysis. However this method is only good for large DNA, such as the DNA of the size of kilo base pairs to mega base pairs range. DNA of size less than kilo base pairs is difficult to be quantified by the agarose gel method. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis however can be used to measure the quantity of DNA fragments of size less than kilo base pairs in length, down to less than ten base pairs. This method is good for determining the quantity of the smaller size DNA, single stranded polymers or even some proteins, if the known standards are available. In this report detail description of the method of preparing the polyacrylamide gel, and the experimental set up is discussed. Possible uses of this method, and the comparison with the standard sizes of DNA is also shown. This method is used to determine the distribution of the amount of the fragmented DNA after the Calf-thymus DNA has been exposed to various types of radiation and of different doses. The standards were used to determine the sizes of the fragmented Calf-thymus DNA. The higher the dose the higher is the amount of the smaller size DNA measured
Size distribution of dust grains: A problem of self-similarity
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Henning, TH.; Dorschner, J.; Guertler, J.
1989-01-01
Distribution functions describing the results of natural processes frequently show the shape of power laws. It is an open question whether this behavior is a result simply coming about by the chosen mathematical representation of the observational data or reflects a deep-seated principle of nature. The authors suppose the latter being the case. Using a dust model consisting of silicate and graphite grains Mathis et al. (1977) showed that the interstellar extinction curve can be represented by taking a grain radii distribution of power law type n(a) varies as a(exp -p) with 3.3 less than or equal to p less than or equal to 3.6 (example 1) as a basis. A different approach to understanding power laws like that in example 1 becomes possible by the theory of self-similar processes (scale invariance). The beta model of turbulence (Frisch et al., 1978) leads in an elementary way to the concept of the self-similarity dimension D, a special case of Mandelbrot's (1977) fractal dimension. In the frame of this beta model, it is supposed that on each stage of a cascade the system decays to N clumps and that only the portion beta N remains active further on. An important feature of this model is that the active eddies become less and less space-filling. In the following, the authors assume that grain-grain collisions are such a scale-invarient process and that the remaining grains are the inactive (frozen) clumps of the cascade. In this way, a size distribution n(a) da varies as a(exp -(D+1))da (example 2) results. It seems to be highly probable that the power law character of the size distribution of interstellar dust grains is the result of a self-similarity process. We can, however, not exclude that the process leading to the interstellar grain size distribution is not fragmentation at all
Simulating SAL formation and aerosol size distribution during SAMUM-I
Khan, Basit Ali; Stenchikov, Georgiy L.; Weinzierl, Bernadett; Kalenderski, Stoitchko; Osipov, Sergey
2015-01-01
-Chem) to reproduce the meteorological environment and spatial and size distributions of dust. The experimental domain covers northwest Africa including the southern Sahara, Morocco and part of the Atlantic Ocean with 5 km horizontal grid spacing and 51 vertical
Varenne, Fanny; Makky, Ali; Gaucher-Delmas, Mireille; Violleau, Frédéric; Vauthier, Christine
2016-05-01
Evaluation of particle size distribution (PSD) of multimodal dispersion of nanoparticles is a difficult task due to inherent limitations of size measurement methods. The present work reports the evaluation of PSD of a dispersion of poly(isobutylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles decorated with dextran known as multimodal and developed as nanomedecine. The nine methods used were classified as batch particle i.e. Static Light Scattering (SLS) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), single particle i.e. Electron Microscopy (EM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensing (TRPS) and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) and separative particle i.e. Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation coupled with DLS (AsFlFFF) size measurement methods. The multimodal dispersion was identified using AFM, TRPS and NTA and results were consistent with those provided with the method based on a separation step prior to on-line size measurements. None of the light scattering batch methods could reveal the complexity of the PSD of the dispersion. Difference between PSD obtained from all size measurement methods tested suggested that study of the PSD of multimodal dispersion required to analyze samples by at least one of the single size particle measurement method or a method that uses a separation step prior PSD measurement.
Grain-to-Grain Variations in NbC Particle Size Distributions in an Austenitic Stainless Steel
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Barlow, Claire; Ralph, B.; Silverman, B.
1979-01-01
Quantitative information has been obtained concerning the size distributions of NbC precipitate particles in different grains in a deformed and aged austenitic stainless steel specimen. The precipitate size distributions obtained differ from one grain to another. The average disparity measured be...
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Mikosch, Thomas Valentin; Moser, Martin
2013-01-01
We investigate the maximum increment of a random walk with heavy-tailed jump size distribution. Here heavy-tailedness is understood as regular variation of the finite-dimensional distributions. The jump sizes constitute a strictly stationary sequence. Using a continuous mapping argument acting...... on the point processes of the normalized jump sizes, we prove that the maximum increment of the random walk converges in distribution to a Fréchet distributed random variable....
Wang, Qian; Zhang, Qionghua; Dzakpasu, Mawuli; Lian, Bin; Wu, Yaketon; Wang, Xiaochang C
2018-03-01
Stormwater particles washed from road-deposited sediments (RDS) are traditionally characterized as either turbidity or total suspended solids (TSS). Although these parameters are influenced by particle sizes, neither of them characterizes the particle size distribution (PSD), which is of great importance in pollutant entrainment and treatment performance. Therefore, the ratio of turbidity to TSS (Tur/TSS) is proposed and validated as a potential surrogate for the bulk PSD and quality of stormwater runoff. The results show an increasing trend of Tur/TSS with finer sizes of both RDS and stormwater runoff. Taking heavy metals (HMs, including Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, and Ni) as typical pollutants in stormwater runoff, the concentrations (mg/kg) were found to vary significantly during rainfall events and tended to increase significantly with Tur/TSS. Therefore, Tur/TSS is a valid parameter to characterize the PSD and quality of stormwater. The high negative correlations between Tur/TSS and rainfall intensity demonstrate that stormwater with higher Tur/TSS generates under low intensity and, thus, characterizes small volume, finer sizes, weak settleability, greater mobility, and bioavailability. Conversely, stormwater with lower Tur/TSS generates under high intensity and, thus, characterizes large volume, coarser sizes, good settleability, low mobility, and bioavailability. These results highlight the need to control stormwater with high Tur/TSS. Moreover, Tur/TSS can aid the selection of stormwater control measures with appropriate detention storage, pollution loading, and removal effectiveness of particles.
Glé, Philippe; Gourdon, Emmanuel; Arnaud, Laurent; Horoshenkov, Kirill-V; Khan, Amir
2013-12-01
Hemp concrete is an attractive alternative to traditional materials used in building construction. It has a very low environmental impact, and it is characterized by high thermal insulation. Hemp aggregate particles are parallelepiped in shape and can be organized in a plurality of ways to create a considerable proportion of open pores with a complex connectivity pattern, the acoustical properties of which have never been examined systematically. Therefore this paper is focused on the fundamental understanding of the relations between the particle shape and size distribution, pore size distribution, and the acoustical properties of the resultant porous material mixture. The sound absorption and the transmission loss of various hemp aggregates is characterized using laboratory experiments and three theoretical models. These models are used to relate the particle size distribution to the pore size distribution. It is shown that the shape of particles and particle size control the pore size distribution and tortuosity in shiv. These properties in turn relate directly to the observed acoustical behavior.
Nuclear sizes and intranuclear matter distribution -- from hadron-nucleus collisions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Strugalska-Gola, E.; Strugalski, Z.
1999-01-01
The method of intranuclear matter studies by hadronic projectiles is found and worked out. It is tested on the pion-xenon nucleus collision events. Target-nucleus size and nucleon density distributions in it were estimated and described by formulas prompted experimentally
Particle size distributions of radioactive aerosols measured in workplaces
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dorrian, M.-D.; Bailey, M.R.
1995-01-01
A survey of published values of Activity Median Aerodynamic Diameter (AMAD) measured in working environments was conducted to assist in the selection of a realistic default AMAD for occupational exposures. Results were compiled from 52 publications covering a wide variety of industries and workplaces. Reported values of AMAD from all studies ranged from 0.12 μm to 25 μm, and most were well fitted by a log-normal distribution with a median value of 4.4 μm. This supports the choice of a 5 μm default AMAD, as a realistic rounded value for occupational exposures, by the ICRP Task Group on Human Respiratory Tract Models for Radiological Protection and its acceptance by ICRP. Both the nuclear power and nuclear fuel handling industries gave median values of approximately 4 μm. Uranium mills gave a median value of 6.8 μm with AMADs frequently greater than 10 μm. High temperature and arc saw cutting operations generated submicron particles and occasionally, biomodal log-normal particle size distributions. It is concluded that in view of the wide range of AMADs found in the surveyed literature, greater emphasis should be placed on air sampling to characterise aerosol particle size distributions for individual work practices, especially as doses estimated with the new 5 μm default AMAD will not always be conservative. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kimmel, B.L.
1981-01-01
Particle size is a primary determinant of resources available to consumers and of the efficiency of energy transfer through planktonic food chains. Dual radioisotopic labeling (with 14 C-bicarbonate and 3 H-acetate) and size fractionation of naturally-occurring phytoplankton-bacterioplankton assemblages were employed to examine the particle size distributions of planktonic autotrophy and microheterotrophy in four limnologically-dissimilar US reservoirs (Lake Mead, Arizona-Nevada, oligo-mesotrophic; Broken Bow Lake, Oklahoma, mesotrophic; Lake Texoma, Oklahoma-Texas, eutrophic; and Normandy Lake, Tennessee, eutrophic). Small nano- and ultraphytoplankton (< 8.0 μm) and free-living bacteria (< 3.0 μm) were primarly responsible for planktonic autotrophy and microheterotrophy, respecitvely, even in eutrophic conditions. Zooplankton grazing experiments indicated that (1) most grazing pressure occurs on 3.0 to 8.0 μm particles, (2) grazer limitation of the occurrence of attached bacteria amd microbial-detrital aggregates is unlikely, and (3) free-living bacteria are inefficiently harvested, relative to algae, by most reservoir zooplankton. Relative to autorophy, the microheterotrophic conversion of allochthonous dissolved organic matter and algal excretion products to bacterial biomass appears unlikely to be a significant source of organic carbon for planktonic grazers in most reservoirs
Fragment Size Distribution of Blasted Rock Mass
Jug, Jasmin; Strelec, Stjepan; Gazdek, Mario; Kavur, Boris
2017-12-01
Rock mass is a heterogeneous material, and the heterogeneity of rock causes sizes distribution of fragmented rocks in blasting. Prediction of blasted rock mass fragmentation has a significant role in the overall economics of opencast mines. Blasting as primary fragmentation can significantly decrease the cost of loading, transport, crushing and milling operations. Blast fragmentation chiefly depends on the specific blast design (geometry of blast holes drilling, the quantity and class of explosive, the blasting form, the timing and partition, etc.) and on the properties of the rock mass (including the uniaxial compressive strength, the rock mass elastic Young modulus, the rock discontinuity characteristics and the rock density). Prediction and processing of blasting results researchers can accomplish by a variety of existing software’s and models, one of them is the Kuz-Ram model, which is possibly the most widely used approach to estimating fragmentation from blasting. This paper shows the estimation of fragmentation using the "SB" program, which was created by the authors. Mentioned program includes the Kuz-Ram model. Models of fragmentation are confirmed and calibrated by comparing the estimated fragmentation with actual post-blast fragmentation from image processing techniques. In this study, the Kuz-Ram fragmentation model has been used for an open-pit limestone quarry in Dalmatia, southern Croatia. The resulting calibrated value of the rock factor enables the quality prognosis of fragmentation in further blasting works, with changed drilling geometry and blast design parameters. It also facilitates simulation in the program to optimize blasting works and get the desired fragmentations of the blasted rock mass.
Laubach, S. E.; Hundley, T. H.; Hooker, J. N.; Marrett, R. A.
2018-03-01
Fault arrays typically include a wide range of fault sizes and those faults may be randomly located, clustered together, or regularly or periodically located in a rock volume. Here, we investigate size distribution and spatial arrangement of normal faults using rigorous size-scaling methods and normalized correlation count (NCC). Outcrop data from Miocene sedimentary rocks in the immediate upper plate of the regional Buckskin detachment-low angle normal-fault, have differing patterns of spatial arrangement as a function of displacement (offset). Using lower size-thresholds of 1, 0.1, 0.01, and 0.001 m, displacements range over 5 orders of magnitude and have power-law frequency distributions spanning ∼ four orders of magnitude from less than 0.001 m to more than 100 m, with exponents of -0.6 and -0.9. The largest faults with >1 m displacement have a shallower size-distribution slope and regular spacing of about 20 m. In contrast, smaller faults have steep size-distribution slopes and irregular spacing, with NCC plateau patterns indicating imposed clustering. Cluster widths are 15 m for the 0.1-m threshold, 14 m for 0.01-m, and 1 m for 0.001-m displacement threshold faults. Results demonstrate normalized correlation count effectively characterizes the spatial arrangement patterns of these faults. Our example from a high-strain fault pattern above a detachment is compatible with size and spatial organization that was influenced primarily by boundary conditions such as fault shape, mechanical unit thickness and internal stratigraphy on a range of scales rather than purely by interaction among faults during their propagation.
Koolyk, Miriam; Amgar, Daniel; Aharon, Sigalit; Etgar, Lioz
2016-03-01
In this work we study the kinetics of cesium lead halide perovskite nanoparticle (NP) growth; the focusing and de-focusing of the NP size distribution. Cesium lead halide perovskite NPs are considered to be attractive materials for optoelectronic applications. Understanding the kinetics of the formation of these all-inorganic perovskite NPs is critical for reproducibly and reliably generating large amounts of uniformly sized NPs. Here we investigate different growth durations for CsPbI3 and CsPbBr3 NPs, tracking their growth by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and size distribution analysis. As a result, we are able to provide a detailed model for the kinetics of their growth. It was observed that the CsPbI3 NPs exhibit focusing of the size distribution in the first 20 seconds of growth, followed by de-focusing over longer growth durations, while the CsPbBr3 NPs show de-focusing of the size distribution starting from the beginning of the growth. The monomer concentration is depleted faster in the case of CsPbBr3 than in the case of CsPbI3, due to faster diffusion of the monomers, which increases the critical radius and results in de-focusing of the population. Accordingly, focusing is not observed within 40 seconds of growth in the case of CsPbBr3. This study provides important knowledge on how to achieve a narrow size distribution of cesium lead halide perovskite NPs when generating large amounts of these promising, highly luminescent NPs.In this work we study the kinetics of cesium lead halide perovskite nanoparticle (NP) growth; the focusing and de-focusing of the NP size distribution. Cesium lead halide perovskite NPs are considered to be attractive materials for optoelectronic applications. Understanding the kinetics of the formation of these all-inorganic perovskite NPs is critical for reproducibly and reliably generating large amounts of uniformly sized NPs. Here we investigate different growth durations for CsPbI3 and CsPbBr3 NPs, tracking
Kubo, Takuya; Nishimura, Naoki; Furuta, Hayato; Kubota, Kei; Naito, Toyohiro; Otsuka, Koji
2017-11-10
We report novel capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE) with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based hydrogels for the effective separations of biomolecules containing sugars and DNAs based on a molecular size effect. The gel capillaries were prepared in a fused silica capillary modified with 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propylmethacrylate using a variety of the PEG-based hydrogels. After the fundamental evaluations in CGE regarding the separation based on the molecular size effect depending on the crosslinking density, the optimized capillary provided the efficient separation of glucose ladder (G1 to G20). In addition, another capillary showed the successful separation of DNA ladder in the range of 10-1100 base pair, which is superior to an authentic acrylamide-based gel capillary. For both glucose and DNA ladders, the separation ranges against the molecular size were simply controllable by alteration of the concentration and/or units of ethylene oxide in the PEG-based crosslinker. Finally, we demonstrated the separations of real samples, which included sugars carved out from monoclonal antibodies, mAbs, and then the efficient separations based on the molecular size effect were achieved. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Inference of R(0 and transmission heterogeneity from the size distribution of stuttering chains.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Seth Blumberg
Full Text Available For many infectious disease processes such as emerging zoonoses and vaccine-preventable diseases, [Formula: see text] and infections occur as self-limited stuttering transmission chains. A mechanistic understanding of transmission is essential for characterizing the risk of emerging diseases and monitoring spatio-temporal dynamics. Thus methods for inferring [Formula: see text] and the degree of heterogeneity in transmission from stuttering chain data have important applications in disease surveillance and management. Previous researchers have used chain size distributions to infer [Formula: see text], but estimation of the degree of individual-level variation in infectiousness (as quantified by the dispersion parameter, [Formula: see text] has typically required contact tracing data. Utilizing branching process theory along with a negative binomial offspring distribution, we demonstrate how maximum likelihood estimation can be applied to chain size data to infer both [Formula: see text] and the dispersion parameter that characterizes heterogeneity. While the maximum likelihood value for [Formula: see text] is a simple function of the average chain size, the associated confidence intervals are dependent on the inferred degree of transmission heterogeneity. As demonstrated for monkeypox data from the Democratic Republic of Congo, this impacts when a statistically significant change in [Formula: see text] is detectable. In addition, by allowing for superspreading events, inference of [Formula: see text] shifts the threshold above which a transmission chain should be considered anomalously large for a given value of [Formula: see text] (thus reducing the probability of false alarms about pathogen adaptation. Our analysis of monkeypox also clarifies the various ways that imperfect observation can impact inference of transmission parameters, and highlights the need to quantitatively evaluate whether observation is likely to significantly bias results.
GAO Hongying; WU Kangping
2007-01-01
This paper estimates the Pareto exponent of the city size (population size and economy size) distribution, all provinces, and three regions in China in 1997, 2000 and 2003 by OLS, comparatively analyzes the Pareto exponent cross section and times, and empirically analyzes the factors which impacts on the Pareto exponents of provinces. Our analyses show that the size distributions of cities in China follow the Pareto distribution and are of structural features. Variations in the value of the P...
Manga, Mohamed S; York, David W
2017-09-12
Stirred cell membrane emulsification (SCME) has been employed to prepare concentrated Pickering oil in water emulsions solely stabilized by fumed silica nanoparticles. The optimal conditions under which highly stable and low-polydispersity concentrated emulsions using the SCME approach are highlighted. Optimization of the oil flux rates and the paddle stirrer speeds are critical to achieving control over the droplet size and size distribution. Investigating the influence of oil volume fraction highlights the criticality of the initial particle loading in the continuous phase on the final droplet size and polydispersity. At a particle loading of 4 wt %, both the droplet size and polydispersity increase with increasing of the oil volume fraction above 50%. As more interfacial area is produced, the number of particles available in the continuous phase diminishes, and coincidently a reduction in the kinetics of particle adsorption to the interface resulting in larger polydisperse droplets occurs. Increasing the particle loading to 10 wt % leads to significant improvements in both size and polydispersity with oil volume fractions as high as 70% produced with coefficient of variation values as low as ∼30% compared to ∼75% using conventional homogenization techniques.
Dust and gas distribution in molecular clouds: an observational approach
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Campeggio, Loretta; Elia, Davide; Maiolo, Berlinda M T; Strafella, Francesco; Cecchi-Pestellini, Cesare
2005-01-01
The interstellar medium (ISM), gas and dust, appears to be arranged in clouds, whose dimensions, masses and densities span a large range of scales: from giant molecular clouds to small isolated globules. The structure of these objects show a high degree of complexity appearing, in the range of the observed scales, as a non-homogeneous ('clumpy') distribution of matter. The arrangement of the ISM is clearly relevant for the study of the fragmentation of the clouds and then of the star formation processes. To quantify observationally the ISM structure, many methods have been developed and our study is focused on some of them, exploiting multiwavelength observations of IS objects. The investigations presented here have been carried out by considering both the dust absorption (in optical and near IR wavelengths) and the gas emission (in the submm-radio spectral range). We present the maps obtained from the reduction of raw data and a first tentative analysis by means of methods as the structure function, the autocorrelation, and the Δ-variance. These are appropriate tools to highlight the complex structure of the ISM with reference to the paradigm given by the supersonic turbulence. Three observational cases are briefly discussed. In order to analyse the structure of objects characterized by different sizes, we applied the above-mentioned algorithms to the extinction map of the dark globule CB 107 and to the CO(J = 1-0) integrated intensity map of Vela Molecular Ridge, D Cloud. Finally we compare the results obtained with synthetic fractal maps known as 'fractional Brownian motion' fBm images
Prognostic significance of normal-sized ovary in advanced serous epithelial ovarian cancer.
Paik, E Sun; Kim, Ji Hye; Kim, Tae Joong; Lee, Jeong Won; Kim, Byoung Gie; Bae, Duk Soo; Choi, Chel Hun
2018-01-01
We compared survival outcomes of advanced serous type epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients with normal-sized ovaries and enlarged-ovarian tumors by propensity score matching analysis. The medical records of EOC patients treated at Samsung Medical Center between 2002 and 2015 were reviewed retrospectively. We investigated EOC patients with high grade serous type histology and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IIIB, IIIC, or IV who underwent primary debulking surgery (PDS) and adjuvant chemotherapy to identify patients with normal-sized ovaries. Propensity score matching was performed to compare patients with normal-sized ovaries to patients with enlarged-ovarian tumors (ratio, 1:3) according to age, FIGO stage, initial cancer antigen (CA)-125 level, and residual disease status after PDS. Of the 419 EOC patients, 48 patients had normal-sized ovary. Patients with enlarged-ovarian tumor were younger (54.0±10.3 vs. 58.4±9.2 years, p=0.005) than those with normal-sized ovary, and there was a statistically significant difference in residual disease status between the 2 groups. In total cohort with a median follow-up period of 43 months (range, 3-164 months), inferior overall survival (OS) was shown in the normal-sized ovary group (median OS, 71.2 vs. 41.4 months; p=0.003). After propensity score matching, the group with normal-sized ovary showed inferior OS compared to the group with enlarged-ovarian tumor (median OS, 72.1 vs. 41.4 months; p=0.031). In multivariate analysis for OS, normal-sized ovary remained a significant factor. Normal-sized ovary was associated with poor OS compared with the common presentation of enlarged ovaries in EOC, independent of CA-125 level or residual disease. Copyright © 2018. Asian Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology
Lepère, Cécile; Domaizon, Isabelle; Taïb, Najwa; Mangot, Jean-François; Bronner, Gisèle; Boucher, Delphine; Debroas, Didier
2013-07-01
Understanding the spatial distribution of aquatic microbial diversity and the underlying mechanisms causing differences in community composition is a challenging and central goal for ecologists. Recent insights into protistan diversity and ecology are increasing the debate over their spatial distribution. In this study, we investigate the importance of spatial and environmental factors in shaping the small protists community structure in lakes. We analyzed small protists community composition (beta-diversity) and richness (alpha-diversity) at regional scale by different molecular methods targeting the gene coding for 18S rRNA gene (T-RFLP and 454 pyrosequencing). Our results show a distance-decay pattern for rare and dominant taxa and the spatial distribution of the latter followed the prediction of the island biogeography theory. Furthermore, geographic distances between lakes seem to be the main force shaping the protists community composition in the lakes studied here. Finally, the spatial distribution of protists was discussed at the global scale (11 worldwide distributed lakes) by comparing these results with those present in the public database. UniFrac analysis showed 18S rRNA gene OTUs compositions significantly different among most of lakes, and this difference does not seem to be related to the trophic status. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lee, Hak Jong [Program in Nano Science and Technology, Dept. of Transdisciplinary Studies, Seoul National University Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Tae Jong [Dept. of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Young Il [Dept. of Applied Bioscience, CHA University, Pocheon (Korea, Republic of)
2017-10-15
The purpose of this study was to establish a method for ultrasound (US) contrast agent synthesis and to evaluate the characteristics of the synthesized US contrast agent. A US contrast agent, composed of liposome and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), was synthesized by dissolving 21 μmol 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC, C40H80NO8P), 9 μmol cholesterol, and 1.9 μmol of dihexadecylphosphate (DCP, [CH3(CH2)15O]2P(O)OH) in chloroform. After evaporation in a warm water bath and drying for 12-24 hours, the contrast agent was synthesized using the sonication process by the addition of a buffer and SF6 gas. The size distribution of the bubbles was analyzed using dynamic light scattering measurement methods. The degradation curve was evaluated by assessing the change in the number of contrast agent bubbles using light microscopy immediately, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, and 84 hours after synthesis. The echogenicity of the synthesized microbubbles was compared with commercially available microbubbles (SonoVue, Bracco). contrast agent was synthesized successfully using an evaporation-drying-sonication method. Most bubbles had a mean diameter of 154.2 nm and showed marked degradation 24 hours after synthesis. Although no statistically significant differences were observed between SonoVue and the synthesized contrast agent, a difference in echogenicity was observed between the synthesized contrast agent and saline (P<0.01). We successfully synthesized a US contrast agent using an evaporation-dryingsonication method. These results may help future research in the fields of anticancer drug delivery, gene delivery, targeted molecular imaging, and targeted therapy.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lee, Hak Jong; Yoon, Tae Jong; Yoon, Young Il
2017-01-01
The purpose of this study was to establish a method for ultrasound (US) contrast agent synthesis and to evaluate the characteristics of the synthesized US contrast agent. A US contrast agent, composed of liposome and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), was synthesized by dissolving 21 μmol 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC, C40H80NO8P), 9 μmol cholesterol, and 1.9 μmol of dihexadecylphosphate (DCP, [CH3(CH2)15O]2P(O)OH) in chloroform. After evaporation in a warm water bath and drying for 12-24 hours, the contrast agent was synthesized using the sonication process by the addition of a buffer and SF6 gas. The size distribution of the bubbles was analyzed using dynamic light scattering measurement methods. The degradation curve was evaluated by assessing the change in the number of contrast agent bubbles using light microscopy immediately, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, and 84 hours after synthesis. The echogenicity of the synthesized microbubbles was compared with commercially available microbubbles (SonoVue, Bracco). contrast agent was synthesized successfully using an evaporation-drying-sonication method. Most bubbles had a mean diameter of 154.2 nm and showed marked degradation 24 hours after synthesis. Although no statistically significant differences were observed between SonoVue and the synthesized contrast agent, a difference in echogenicity was observed between the synthesized contrast agent and saline (P<0.01). We successfully synthesized a US contrast agent using an evaporation-dryingsonication method. These results may help future research in the fields of anticancer drug delivery, gene delivery, targeted molecular imaging, and targeted therapy
SIZE DISTRIBUTIONS OF SOLAR FLARES AND SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLE EVENTS
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cliver, E. W.; Ling, A. G.; Belov, A.; Yashiro, S.
2012-01-01
We suggest that the flatter size distribution of solar energetic proton (SEP) events relative to that of flare soft X-ray (SXR) events is primarily due to the fact that SEP flares are an energetic subset of all flares. Flares associated with gradual SEP events are characteristically accompanied by fast (≥1000 km s –1 ) coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that drive coronal/interplanetary shock waves. For the 1996-2005 interval, the slopes (α values) of power-law size distributions of the peak 1-8 Å fluxes of SXR flares associated with (a) >10 MeV SEP events (with peak fluxes ≥1 pr cm –2 s –1 sr –1 ) and (b) fast CMEs were ∼1.3-1.4 compared to ∼1.2 for the peak proton fluxes of >10 MeV SEP events and ∼2 for the peak 1-8 Å fluxes of all SXR flares. The difference of ∼0.15 between the slopes of the distributions of SEP events and SEP SXR flares is consistent with the observed variation of SEP event peak flux with SXR peak flux.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hinds, W.; Macher, J.; First, M.W.
1981-01-01
Test aerosols of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DOP) produced by Laskin nozzle aerosol generators are widely used for in-place filter testing and respirator fit testing. Concern for the health effects of this material has led to a search for substitute materials for test aerosols. Aerosols were generated with a Laskin generator and diluted 6000-fold with clean air. Size distributions were measured for DOP, di(2-ethylhexyl)sebecate, polyethylene glycol, mineral oil, and corn oil aerosols with a PMS ASAS-X optical particle counter. Distributions were slightly bimodal with count median diameters from 0.22 to 0.30 μm. Size distributions varied little with aerosol material, operating pressure, or liquid level. Mineral oil and corn oil gave the best agreement with the DOP size distribution
Ziemba, L. D.; Griffin, R. J.; Whitlow, S.; Talbot, R. W.
2011-12-01
Size distributions up to 10-micron aerosol diameter ( DP) of organic carbon (OC) and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) were measured at two sites in coastal New England, slightly inland at Thompson Farm (TF) and offshore at Isles of Shoals (IOS). Significant OC concentrations were measured across the full size distribution at TF and IOS, respectively. The WSOC fraction (WSOC/OC) was largest in the accumulation mode with values of 0.86 and 0.93 and smallest in the coarse mode with values of 0.61 and 0.79 at TF and IOS, respectively. Dicarboxylic acids containing up to five carbon atoms (C 5) were concentrated in droplet and accumulation mode aerosol with only minor contributions in the coarse mode. C 1-C 3 monocarboxylic acids were generally near or below detection limits. Results from proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H +-NMR) spectroscopy analyses showed that the organic functional group characterized by protons in the alpha position to an unsaturated carbon atoms ([H-C-C dbnd ]) was the dominant WSOC functionality at both TF and IOS, constituting 34 and 43% of carbon-weighted H +-NMR signal, respectively. Size distributions of each H +-NMR-resolved organic functionality are presented. Source apportionment using H +-NMR fingerprints is also presented, and results indicate that nearly all of the WSOC at TF and IOS spectroscopically resembled secondary organic aerosol, regardless of DP.
Determination of the size distribution of metallic nanoparticles by optical extinction spectroscopy
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pena, Ovidio; Rodriguez-Fernandez, Luis; Rodriguez-Iglesias, Vladimir; Kellermann, Guinther; Crespo-Sosa, Alejandro; Cheang-Wong, Juan Carlos; Silva-Pereyra, Hector Gabriel; Arenas-Alatorre, Jesus; Oliver, Alicia
2009-01-01
A method is proposed to estimate the size distribution of nearly spherical metallic nanoparticles (NPs) from optical extinction spectroscopy (OES) measurements based on Mie's theory and an optimization algorithm. The described method is compared against two of the most widely used techniques for the task: transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). The size distribution of Au and Cu NPs, obtained by ion implantation in silica and a subsequent thermal annealing in air, was determined by TEM, grazing-incidence SAXS (GISAXS) geometry, and our method, and the average radius obtained by all the three techniques was almost the same for the two studied metals. Concerning the radius dispersion (RD), OES and GISAXS give very similar results, while TEM considerably underestimates the RD of the distribution
Radiation chemistry of polymer degradation processes: molecular weight distribution effects
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Viswanathan, N.S.
1976-01-01
The molecular weight distributions of poly(methyl methacrylate) irradiated at 15 and 25 MeV with electron beams were investigated. The experimental values for the effect of chain scissions on the dispersivity agreed well with theoretical predictions
Growth and size distribution of Au nanoparticles in annealed Au/TiO{sub 2} thin films
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Reymond-Laruinaz, S.; Saviot, L.; Potin, V. [Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne (ICB), UMR 6303 CNRS-Université de Bourgogne, 9 Av. A. Savary, BP 47 870, F-21078 Dijon Cedex (France); Lopes, C.; Vaz, F. [Centro de Física, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal); Marco de Lucas, M.C., E-mail: delucas@u-bourgogne.fr [Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne (ICB), UMR 6303 CNRS-Université de Bourgogne, 9 Av. A. Savary, BP 47 870, F-21078 Dijon Cedex (France)
2014-02-28
Nanocomposites consisting of noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in TiO{sub 2} thin films are of great interest for applications in optoelectronics, photocatalysis and solar-cells for which the plasmonic properties of the metal NPs play a major role. This work investigates the first stages of the formation of gold NPs by thermal annealing of Au-doped TiO{sub 2} thin films grown by magnetron sputtering. A low concentration of gold in the films is considered (5 at.%) in order to study the first stages of the formation of the NPs. Raman spectroscopy is used to follow the crystallization of TiO{sub 2} when increasing the annealing temperature. In addition, low-frequency Raman scattering (LFRS) is used to investigate the formation of gold NPs and to determine their size. Resonant LFRS measurements obtained by using a laser wavelength matching the surface plasmon resonance of the metallic NPs significantly enhances the Raman peak intensity enabling to focus on the first stages of the NPs formation. A double size distribution is observed at T{sub a} = 800 °C calling for additional investigations by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM observations reveal an inhomogeneous in-depth size distribution of gold NPs. The annealed films are structured in two sublayers with bigger NPs at the bottom and smaller NPs at the top. At T{sub a} = 800 °C, a double size distribution is confirmed near the surface. A mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of the sublayers. The modification of the diffusion of gold atoms by stresses in the film near the substrate is assumed to be responsible for the observed two layers structure. - Highlights: • Gold-doped TiO{sub 2} thin films were grown by magnetron sputtering. • The first stages of the formation of Au nanoparticles after annealing are studied. • Au nanoparticles and crystallized TiO{sub 2} are observed above 400 °C. • The size distribution of the gold nanoparticles is complex and depth-dependent.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Roberto Mantovani
2010-01-01
Full Text Available The objective of this experiment is to evaluate the changes of particle size distribution and chemical composition of the total mixed ration (TMR based on hay as the main forage component (“dry” TMR and distributed once (7.00 am or twice (7.00 am and 1.00 pm daily to 32 lactating cows. The trial was divided in two periods of 14 days each. Diet (DM=53.7% was formulated in order to assure the nutritional requirements of cows producing 24 kg/d of milk (crude protein=14.4% DM; NDF=40.9% DM; milk FU=0.88/kg DM and additional amounts of concentrates were distributed using automatic feeders. Four TMR samples were collected daily (7.00 am, 10.00 am, 1.00 pm, 4.00 pm for six days during each experiment period for a total number of 48 feed samples. Each feed sample was subjected to the estimation of the particle size distribution using the separator of Pennsylvania State University composed of two sieves (diameters of 19 and 8 mm and a collector on the bottom, and to the determination of the chemical composition. Changes of all three particle size fractions for TMRs were observed during the day with distributions of the TMR both once and twice daily. With the once daily distribution, the large particles fraction increased linearly (P<0.001 from 19.7 to 23.4, 32.2, and 35.1%, while the finest particle fraction decreased (from 60.1 to 58.3, 50.0, 47.8%. According to particle size changes, the chemical composition varied significantly at the different times of sampling when TMR was distributed once daily. Significant variations of DM were detected for TMR with a linear (P<0.001 increase (from 54.4 to 57.9, 60.7, 61.5%. Considering once TMR distribution, the values of NDF and starch showed an opposite trend with an increase of 6.5 and a decrease of 8.3 points from 7.00 am to 4.00 pm (i.e., 9 hrs after distribution. Correlations were estimated between chemical and physical characteristics of TMRs. NDF content was positively and significantly correlated to
A model study of the size and composition distribution of aerosols in an aircraft exhaust
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Sorokin, A.A. [SRC `ECOLEN`, Moscow (Russian Federation)
1997-12-31
A two-dimensional, axisymmetric flow field model which includes water and sulphate aerosol formation represented by moments of the size and composition distribution function is used to calculate the effect of radial turbulent jet mixing on the aerosol size distribution and mean modal composition. (author) 6 refs.
A model study of the size and composition distribution of aerosols in an aircraft exhaust
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Sorokin, A A [SRC ` ECOLEN` , Moscow (Russian Federation)
1998-12-31
A two-dimensional, axisymmetric flow field model which includes water and sulphate aerosol formation represented by moments of the size and composition distribution function is used to calculate the effect of radial turbulent jet mixing on the aerosol size distribution and mean modal composition. (author) 6 refs.
Hadgu, Endale; Seifu, Daniel; Tigneh, Wondemagegnhu; Bokretsion, Yonas; Bekele, Abebe; Abebe, Markos; Sollie, Thomas; Merajver, Sofia D; Karlsson, Christina; Karlsson, Mats G
2018-02-14
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease with several morphological and molecular subtypes. Widely accepted molecular classification system uses assessment of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and proliferation marker Ki67. Few studies have been conducted on the incidence and molecular types of breast cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa. Previous studies mainly from Western and Central Africa, showed breast cancer to occur at younger ages and to present with aggressive features, such as high-grade, advanced stage and triple-negative phenotype (negative for ER, PR and HER2). Limited data from East Africa including Ethiopia however shows hormone receptor negative tumors to account for a lower proportion of all breast cancers than has been reported from elsewhere in Africa. In this study from Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, 114 breast cancer patients diagnosed between 2012 and 2015 were enrolled. ER, PR, Ki67 and HER2 receptor status were assessed using immunohistochemistry from tissue microarrays. FISH was used for assessment of gene amplification in all equivocal tumor samples and for confirmation in HER2-enriched cases. The distribution of molecular subtypes was: Luminal A: 40%; Luminal B: 26%; HER2-enriched: 10%; TNBC: 23%. ER were positive in 65% of all tumors and 43% the cases were positive for PR. There was statistically significant difference in median age at diagnosis between the molecular subtypes (P molecular subtypes in different age ranges with Luminal B subtype being more common at younger ages (median = 36) and Luminal A subtype more prevalent at older ages (median = 42). There were no statistically significant differences in tumor grade, histology, and stage between the molecular subtypes of breast cancer. The present study detected Luminal A breast cancer to be the most common subtype and reveals a relatively low rate of hormone receptor negative and TNBC. Our findings and
Dislocation, crystallite size distribution and lattice strain of magnesium oxide nanoparticles
Sutapa, I. W.; Wahid Wahab, Abdul; Taba, P.; Nafie, N. L.
2018-03-01
The oxide of magnesium nanoparticles synthesized using sol-gel method and analysis of the structural properties was conducted. The functional groups of nanoparticles has been analysed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). Dislocations, average size of crystal, strain, stress, the energy density of crystal, crystallite size distribution and morphologies of the crystals were determined based on X-ray diffraction profile analysis. The morphological of the crystal was analysed based on the image resulted from SEM analysis. The crystallite size distribution was calculated with the contention that the particle size has a normal logarithmic form. The most orientations of crystal were determined based on the textural crystal from diffraction data of X-ray diffraction profile analysis. FT-IR results showed the stretching vibration mode of the Mg-O-Mg in the range of 400.11-525 cm-1 as a broad band. The average size crystal of nanoparticles resulted is 9.21 mm with dislocation value of crystal is 0.012 nm-2. The strains, stress, the energy density of crystal are 1.5 x 10-4 37.31 MPa; 0.72 MPa respectively. The highest texture coefficient value of the crystal is 0.98. This result is supported by morphological analysis using SEM which shows most of the regular cubic-shaped crystals. The synthesis method is suitable for simple and cost-effective synthesis model of MgO nanoparticles.
Sakaguchi, Hidetsugu; Kadowaki, Shuntaro
2017-07-01
We study slowly pulling block-spring models in random media. Second-order phase transitions exist in a model pulled by a constant force in the case of velocity-strengthening friction. If external forces are slowly increased, nearly critical states are self-organized. Slips of various sizes occur, and the probability distributions of slip size roughly obey power laws. The exponent is close to that in the quenched Edwards-Wilkinson model. Furthermore, the slip-size distributions are investigated in cases of Coulomb friction, velocity-weakening friction, and two-dimensional block-spring models.
Molecular sieving through a graphene nanopore: non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Chengzhen Sun; Bofeng Bai
2017-01-01
Two-dimensional graphene nanopores have shown great promise as ultra-permeable molecular sieves based on their size-sieving effects.We design a nitrogen/hydrogen modified graphene nanopore and conduct a transient non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation on its molecular sieving effects.The distinct time-varying molecular crossing numbers show that this special nanopore can efficiently sieve CO2 and H2S molecules from CH4 molecules with high selectivity.By analyzing the molecular structure and pore functionalization-related molecular orientation and permeable zone in the nanopore,density distribution in the molecular adsorption layer on the graphene surface,as well as other features,the molecular sieving mechanisms of graphene nanopores are revealed.Finally,several implications on the design of highly-efficient graphene nanopores,especially for determining the porosity and chemical functionalization,as gas separation membranes are summarized based on the identified phenomena and mechanisms.
The prognostic role of tumor size in early breast cancer in the era of molecular biology.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Anaid Anna Kasangian
Full Text Available The prognosis of early breast cancer (EBC depends on patient and tumor characteristics. The association between tumor size, the largest diameter in TNM staging, and prognosis is well recognized. According to TNM, tumors classified as T2, could have very different volumes; e.g. a tumor of 2.1 cm has a volume of 4500 mm3, while a tumor of 4.9 cm has a volume of 60.000 mm3 even belonging to the same class. The aim of the study is to establish if the prognostic role of tumor size, expressed as diameter and volume, has been overshadowed by other factors.The primary objective is to evaluate the association between tumor dimensions and overall survival (OS / disease free survival (DFS, in our institution from January 1st 2005 to September 30th 2013 in a surgical T1-T2 population. Volume was evaluated with the measurement of three half-diameters of the tumor (a, b and c, and calculated using the following formula: 4/3π x a x b x c.341 patients with T1-T2 EBC were included. 86.5% were treated with conservative surgery. 85.1% had a Luminal subtype, 9.1% were Triple negative and 7.4% were HER2 positive. Median volume was 942 mm3 (range 0.52-31.651.2. 44 patients (12.9% relapsed and 23 patients died. With a median follow-up of 6.5 years, the univariate analysis for DFS showed an association between age, tumor size, volume, histological grading and molecular subtype. The multivariate analysis confirmed the statistically significant association only for molecular subtype (p 0.005, with a worse prognosis for Triple negative and HER2 positive subtypes compared with Luminal (HR: 2.65; 95%CI: 1.34-5.22. Likewise for OS, an association was shown by the multivariate analysis solely for molecular subtype (HER2 and Triple negative vs. Luminal. HR: 2.83; 95% CI:1.46-5.49; p 0.002.In our study, the only parameter that strongly influences survival is molecular subtype. These findings encourage clinicians to choose adjuvant treatment not based on dimensional criteria
The prognostic role of tumor size in early breast cancer in the era of molecular biology.
Kasangian, Anaid Anna; Gherardi, Giorgio; Biagioli, Elena; Torri, Valter; Moretti, Anna; Bernardin, Elena; Cordovana, Andrea; Farina, Gabriella; Bramati, Annalisa; Piva, Sheila; Dazzani, Maria Chiara; Paternò, Emanuela; La Verde, Nicla Maria
2017-01-01
The prognosis of early breast cancer (EBC) depends on patient and tumor characteristics. The association between tumor size, the largest diameter in TNM staging, and prognosis is well recognized. According to TNM, tumors classified as T2, could have very different volumes; e.g. a tumor of 2.1 cm has a volume of 4500 mm3, while a tumor of 4.9 cm has a volume of 60.000 mm3 even belonging to the same class. The aim of the study is to establish if the prognostic role of tumor size, expressed as diameter and volume, has been overshadowed by other factors. The primary objective is to evaluate the association between tumor dimensions and overall survival (OS) / disease free survival (DFS), in our institution from January 1st 2005 to September 30th 2013 in a surgical T1-T2 population. Volume was evaluated with the measurement of three half-diameters of the tumor (a, b and c), and calculated using the following formula: 4/3π x a x b x c. 341 patients with T1-T2 EBC were included. 86.5% were treated with conservative surgery. 85.1% had a Luminal subtype, 9.1% were Triple negative and 7.4% were HER2 positive. Median volume was 942 mm3 (range 0.52-31.651.2). 44 patients (12.9%) relapsed and 23 patients died. With a median follow-up of 6.5 years, the univariate analysis for DFS showed an association between age, tumor size, volume, histological grading and molecular subtype. The multivariate analysis confirmed the statistically significant association only for molecular subtype (p 0.005), with a worse prognosis for Triple negative and HER2 positive subtypes compared with Luminal (HR: 2.65; 95%CI: 1.34-5.22). Likewise for OS, an association was shown by the multivariate analysis solely for molecular subtype (HER2 and Triple negative vs. Luminal. HR: 2.83; 95% CI:1.46-5.49; p 0.002). In our study, the only parameter that strongly influences survival is molecular subtype. These findings encourage clinicians to choose adjuvant treatment not based on dimensional criteria but on
Naveda-Rodríguez, Adrián; Vargas, Félix Hernán; Kohn, Sebastián; Zapata-Ríos, Galo
2016-01-01
The Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) in Ecuador is classified as Critically Endangered. Before 2015, standardized and systematic estimates of geographic distribution, population size and structure were not available for this species, hampering the assessment of its current status and hindering the design and implementation of effective conservation actions. In this study, we performed the first quantitative assessment of geographic distribution, population size and population viability of Andean Condor in Ecuador. We used a methodological approach that included an ecological niche model to study geographic distribution, a simultaneous survey of 70 roosting sites to estimate population size and a population viability analysis (PVA) for the next 100 years. Geographic distribution in the form of extent of occurrence was 49 725 km2. During a two-day census, 93 Andean Condors were recorded and a population of 94 to 102 individuals was estimated. In this population, adult-to-immature ratio was 1:0.5. In the modeled PVA scenarios, the probability of extinction, mean time to extinction and minimum population size varied from zero to 100%, 63 years and 193 individuals, respectively. Habitat loss is the greatest threat to the conservation of Andean Condor populations in Ecuador. Population size reduction in scenarios that included habitat loss began within the first 15 years of this threat. Population reinforcement had no effects on the recovery of Andean Condor populations given the current status of the species in Ecuador. The population size estimate presented in this study is the lower than those reported previously in other countries where the species occur. The inferences derived from the population viability analysis have implications for Condor management in Ecuador. This study highlights the need to redirect efforts from captive breeding and population reinforcement to habitat conservation.
Polybutadiene latex particle size distribution analysis utilizing a disk centrifuge
Verdurmen, E.M.F.J.; Albers, J.G.; German, A.L.
1994-01-01
Polybutadiene (I) latexes prepd. by emulsifier-free emulsion polymn. and having particle diam. 50-300 nm for both unimodal and bimodal particles size distributions were analyzed by the line-start (LIST) method in a Brookhaven disk centrifuge photosedimentometer. A special spin fluid was designed to
Effects of Particle Size Distribution on Bioremediation of Crude Oil ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Bioremediation has been proven to be the most effective method of cleaning up oil contaminated soils through the application of nutrients and microorganism. ... The parameters examined were: moisture content, particle size distribution, total hydrocarbon content, soil pH, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, total ...
A POSSIBLE DIVOT IN THE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF THE KUIPER BELT'S SCATTERING OBJECTS
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Shankman, C.; Gladman, B. J. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, 6224 Agriculture Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 (Canada); Kaib, N. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queens University (Canada); Kavelaars, J. J. [National Research Council of Canada, Victoria, BC V9E 2E7 (Canada); Petit, J. M. [Institut UTINAM, CNRS-Universite de Franche-Comte, Besancon (France)
2013-02-10
Via joint analysis of a calibrated telescopic survey, which found scattering Kuiper Belt objects, and models of their expected orbital distribution, we explore the scattering-object (SO) size distribution. Although for D > 100 km the number of objects quickly rise as diameters decrease, we find a relative lack of smaller objects, ruling out a single power law at greater than 99% confidence. After studying traditional ''knees'' in the size distribution, we explore other formulations and find that, surprisingly, our analysis is consistent with a very sudden decrease (a divot) in the number distribution as diameters decrease below 100 km, which then rises again as a power law. Motivated by other dynamically hot populations and the Centaurs, we argue for a divot size distribution where the number of smaller objects rises again as expected via collisional equilibrium. Extrapolation yields enough kilometer-scale SOs to supply the nearby Jupiter-family comets. Our interpretation is that this divot feature is a preserved relic of the size distribution made by planetesimal formation, now ''frozen in'' to portions of the Kuiper Belt sharing a ''hot'' orbital inclination distribution, explaining several puzzles in Kuiper Belt science. Additionally, we show that to match today's SO inclination distribution, the supply source that was scattered outward must have already been vertically heated to the of order 10 Degree-Sign .
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mahesh Kumar
2017-06-01
Full Text Available In recent years, renewable types of distributed generation in the distribution system have been much appreciated due to their enormous technical and environmental advantages. This paper proposes a methodology for optimal placement and sizing of renewable distributed generation(s (i.e., wind, solar and biomass and capacitor banks into a radial distribution system. The intermittency of wind speed and solar irradiance are handled with multi-state modeling using suitable probability distribution functions. The three objective functions, i.e., power loss reduction, voltage stability improvement, and voltage deviation minimization are optimized using advanced Pareto-front non-dominated sorting multi-objective particle swarm optimization method. First a set of non-dominated Pareto-front data are called from the algorithm. Later, a fuzzy decision technique is applied to extract the trade-off solution set. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology is tested on the standard IEEE 33 test system. The overall results reveal that combination of renewable distributed generations and capacitor banks are dominant in power loss reduction, voltage stability and voltage profile improvement.
Statistical Significance and Effect Size: Two Sides of a Coin.
Fan, Xitao
This paper suggests that statistical significance testing and effect size are two sides of the same coin; they complement each other, but do not substitute for one another. Good research practice requires that both should be taken into consideration to make sound quantitative decisions. A Monte Carlo simulation experiment was conducted, and a…
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mohamed, A.; El-Hussein, A.; Ahmed, A.
2005-01-01
In the case of internally deposited radionuclides, direct measurement of the energy absorbed from ionizing radiation emitted by the decaying radionuclides is rarely, if ever, possible. Therefore, one must rely on dosimetric models to obtain estimates of the spatial and temporal patterns of energy deposition in human lung. T These models always need some information about the parameters of activity size distributions of thoron and radon progeny. In the present work, the attached and unattached activity size distributions of thoron and radon progeny were measured in outdoor air of El-Minia, Egypt. The attached samples were collected using a low pressure Berner cascade impactor technique, while a constructed screen diffusion b attery was used for collecting the unattached samples. Most of the attached activities for 222 Rn and 220 Rn progeny were associated with the aerosol particles of the accumulation mode. The activity size distribution of thoron progeny was found to be shifted to slightly smaller particle size, compared to radon progeny. An analytical method has been developed to compute the local energy deposition of 2l2 Bi alpha particles in a target volume of 1 jam spheres located at different depths in bronchial epithelium. In order to reach the target, alpha particles travel either through tissue alone (near-wall dose) or through air and tissue (far-wall dose). It was found that the contribution of near-wall dose is higher than that of the far wall dose. While the depth-dose distributions for nuclides uniformly distributed within the epithelium are practically constant with
Size-exclusion chromatography of perfluorosulfonated ionomers.
Mourey, T H; Slater, L A; Galipo, R C; Koestner, R J
2011-08-26
A size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) method in N,N-dimethylformamide containing 0.1 M LiNO(3) is shown to be suitable for the determination of molar mass distributions of three classes of perfluorosulfonated ionomers, including Nafion(®). Autoclaving sample preparation is optimized to prepare molecular solutions free of aggregates, and a solvent exchange method concentrates the autoclaved samples to enable the use of molar-mass-sensitive detection. Calibration curves obtained from light scattering and viscometry detection suggest minor variation in the specific refractive index increment across the molecular size distributions, which introduces inaccuracies in the calculation of local absolute molar masses and intrinsic viscosities. Conformation plots that combine apparent molar masses from light scattering detection with apparent intrinsic viscosities from viscometry detection partially compensate for the variations in refractive index increment. The conformation plots are consistent with compact polymer conformations, and they provide Mark-Houwink-Sakurada constants that can be used to calculate molar mass distributions without molar-mass-sensitive detection. Unperturbed dimensions and characteristic ratios calculated from viscosity-molar mass relationships indicate unusually free rotation of the perfluoroalkane backbones and may suggest limitations to applying two-parameter excluded volume theories for these ionomers. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Size distribution dynamics reveal particle-phase chemistry in organic aerosol formation
Shiraiwa, Manabu; Yee, Lindsay D.; Schilling, Katherine A.; Loza, Christine L.; Craven, Jill S.; Zuend, Andreas; Ziemann, Paul J.; Seinfeld, John H.
2013-01-01
Organic aerosols are ubiquitous in the atmosphere and play a central role in climate, air quality, and public health. The aerosol size distribution is key in determining its optical properties and cloud condensation nucleus activity. The dominant portion of organic aerosol is formed through gas-phase oxidation of volatile organic compounds, so-called secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). Typical experimental measurements of SOA formation include total SOA mass and atomic oxygen-to-carbon ratio. These measurements, alone, are generally insufficient to reveal the extent to which condensed-phase reactions occur in conjunction with the multigeneration gas-phase photooxidation. Combining laboratory chamber experiments and kinetic gas-particle modeling for the dodecane SOA system, here we show that the presence of particle-phase chemistry is reflected in the evolution of the SOA size distribution as well as its mass concentration. Particle-phase reactions are predicted to occur mainly at the particle surface, and the reaction products contribute more than half of the SOA mass. Chamber photooxidation with a midexperiment aldehyde injection confirms that heterogeneous reaction of aldehydes with organic hydroperoxides forming peroxyhemiacetals can lead to a large increase in SOA mass. Although experiments need to be conducted with other SOA precursor hydrocarbons, current results demonstrate coupling between particle-phase chemistry and size distribution dynamics in the formation of SOAs, thereby opening up an avenue for analysis of the SOA formation process. PMID:23818634
Size distribution dynamics reveal particle-phase chemistry in organic aerosol formation.
Shiraiwa, Manabu; Yee, Lindsay D; Schilling, Katherine A; Loza, Christine L; Craven, Jill S; Zuend, Andreas; Ziemann, Paul J; Seinfeld, John H
2013-07-16
Organic aerosols are ubiquitous in the atmosphere and play a central role in climate, air quality, and public health. The aerosol size distribution is key in determining its optical properties and cloud condensation nucleus activity. The dominant portion of organic aerosol is formed through gas-phase oxidation of volatile organic compounds, so-called secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). Typical experimental measurements of SOA formation include total SOA mass and atomic oxygen-to-carbon ratio. These measurements, alone, are generally insufficient to reveal the extent to which condensed-phase reactions occur in conjunction with the multigeneration gas-phase photooxidation. Combining laboratory chamber experiments and kinetic gas-particle modeling for the dodecane SOA system, here we show that the presence of particle-phase chemistry is reflected in the evolution of the SOA size distribution as well as its mass concentration. Particle-phase reactions are predicted to occur mainly at the particle surface, and the reaction products contribute more than half of the SOA mass. Chamber photooxidation with a midexperiment aldehyde injection confirms that heterogeneous reaction of aldehydes with organic hydroperoxides forming peroxyhemiacetals can lead to a large increase in SOA mass. Although experiments need to be conducted with other SOA precursor hydrocarbons, current results demonstrate coupling between particle-phase chemistry and size distribution dynamics in the formation of SOAs, thereby opening up an avenue for analysis of the SOA formation process.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Veronika Chaloupková
2018-02-01
Full Text Available Via image-based macroscopic, analysis of a briquettes’ surface structure, particle size, and distribution was determined to better understand the behavioural pattern of input material during agglomeration in the pressing chamber of a briquetting machine. The briquettes, made of miscanthus, industrial hemp and pine sawdust were produced by a hydraulic piston press. Their structure was visualized by a stereomicroscope equipped with a digital camera and software for image analysis and data measurements. In total, 90 images of surface structure were obtained and quantitatively analysed. Using Nikon Instruments Software (NIS-Elements software, the length and area of 900 particles were measured and statistically tested to compare the size of the particles at different surface locations. Results showed statistically significant differences in particles’ size distribution: larger particles were generally on the front side of briquettes and vice versa, smaller particles were on the rear side. As well, larger particles were centred in the middle of cross sections and the smaller particles were centred on the bottom of the briquette.
Marlowe, Ashley E.; Singh, Abhishek; Semichaevsky, Andrey V.; Yingling, Yaroslava G.
2009-03-01
Nucleic acid nanoparticles can self-assembly through the formation of complementary loop-loop interactions or stem-stem interactions. Presence and concentration of ions can significantly affect the self-assembly process and the stability of the nanostructure. In this presentation we use explicit molecular dynamics simulations to examine the variations in cationic distributions and hydration environment around DNA and RNA helices and loop-loop interactions. Our simulations show that the potassium and sodium ionic distributions are different around RNA and DNA motifs which could be indicative of ion mediated relative stability of loop-loop complexes. Moreover in RNA loop-loop motifs ions are consistently present and exchanged through a distinct electronegative channel. We will also show how we used the specific RNA loop-loop motif to design a RNA hexagonal nanoparticle.
Pan-Arctic aerosol number size distributions: seasonality and transport patterns
Freud, Eyal; Krejci, Radovan; Tunved, Peter; Leaitch, Richard; Nguyen, Quynh T.; Massling, Andreas; Skov, Henrik; Barrie, Leonard
2017-07-01
The Arctic environment has an amplified response to global climatic change. It is sensitive to human activities that mostly take place elsewhere. For this study, a multi-year set of observed aerosol number size distributions in the diameter range of 10 to 500 nm from five sites around the Arctic Ocean (Alert, Villum Research Station - Station Nord, Zeppelin, Tiksi and Barrow) was assembled and analysed.A cluster analysis of the aerosol number size distributions revealed four distinct distributions. Together with Lagrangian air parcel back-trajectories, they were used to link the observed aerosol number size distributions with a variety of transport regimes. This analysis yields insight into aerosol dynamics, transport and removal processes, on both an intra- and an inter-monthly scale. For instance, the relative occurrence of aerosol number size distributions that indicate new particle formation (NPF) event is near zero during the dark months, increases gradually to ˜ 40 % from spring to summer, and then collapses in autumn. Also, the likelihood of Arctic haze aerosols is minimal in summer and peaks in April at all sites.The residence time of accumulation-mode particles in the Arctic troposphere is typically long enough to allow tracking them back to their source regions. Air flow that passes at low altitude over central Siberia and western Russia is associated with relatively high concentrations of accumulation-mode particles (Nacc) at all five sites - often above 150 cm-3. There are also indications of air descending into the Arctic boundary layer after transport from lower latitudes.The analysis of the back-trajectories together with the meteorological fields along them indicates that the main driver of the Arctic annual cycle of Nacc, on the larger scale, is when atmospheric transport covers the source regions for these particles in the 10-day period preceding the observations in the Arctic. The scavenging of these particles by precipitation is shown to be
A Merging Algorithm for Aerosol Size Distribution from Multiple Instruments
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Ondráček, Jakub; Ždímal, Vladimír; Smolík, Jiří; Lazaridis, M.
2009-01-01
Roč. 199, 1-4 (2009), s. 219-233 ISSN 0049-6979 Grant - others:MTKD(XE) CT-2004-513849 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40720504 Keywords : aerosols * merging particle size distribution * multilognormal model Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 1.676, year: 2009
Assessment of particle size distribution in CO 2 accidental releases
Hulsbosch-Dam, C.E.C.; Spruijt, M.P.N.; Necci, A.; Cozzani, V.
2012-01-01
A model was developed to calculate the particle size distribution following the release of pressurised supercritical CO 2. The model combines several sub-models for the different stages of jet break-up and specifically addresses the possible formation of solid particles, which is important for CO 2
On the size distribution of cities: an economic interpretation of the Pareto coefficient.
Suh, S H
1987-01-01
"Both the hierarchy and the stochastic models of size distribution of cities are analyzed in order to explain the Pareto coefficient by economic variables. In hierarchy models, it is found that the rate of variation in the productivity of cities and that in the probability of emergence of cities can explain the Pareto coefficient. In stochastic models, the productivity of cities is found to explain the Pareto coefficient. New city-size distribution functions, in which the Pareto coefficient is decomposed by economic variables, are estimated." excerpt
Liu, Bo; Liu, Pei; Xu, Zhenli; Zhou, Shenggao
2013-10-01
Near a charged surface, counterions of different valences and sizes cluster; and their concentration profiles stratify. At a distance from such a surface larger than the Debye length, the electric field is screened by counterions. Recent studies by a variational mean-field approach that includes ionic size effects and by Monte Carlo simulations both suggest that the counterion stratification is determined by the ionic valence-to-volume ratios. Central in the mean-field approach is a free-energy functional of ionic concentrations in which the ionic size effects are included through the entropic effect of solvent molecules. The corresponding equilibrium conditions define the generalized Boltzmann distributions relating the ionic concentrations to the electrostatic potential. This paper presents a detailed analysis and numerical calculations of such a free-energy functional to understand the dependence of the ionic charge density on the electrostatic potential through the generalized Boltzmann distributions, the role of ionic valence-to-volume ratios in the counterion stratification, and the modification of Debye length due to the effect of ionic sizes.
Hysteresis in suspended sediment to turbidity relations due to changing particle size distributions
Landers, Mark N.; Sturm, Terry W.
2013-01-01
Turbidity (T) is the most ubiquitous of surrogate technologies used to estimate suspended-sediment concentration (SSC). The effects of sediment size on turbidity are well documented; however, effects from changes in particle size distributions (PSD) are rarely evaluated. Hysteresis in relations of SSC-to-turbidity (SSC~T) for single stormflow events was observed and quantified for a data set of 195 concurrent measurements of SSC, turbidity, discharge, velocity, and volumetric PSD collected during five stormflows in 2009–2010 on Yellow River at Gees Mill Road in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. Regressions of SSC-normalized turbidity (T/SSC) on concurrently measured PSD percentiles show an inverse, exponential influence of particle size on turbidity that is not constant across the size range of the PSD. The majority of the influence of PSD on T/SSC is from particles of fine-silt and smaller sizes (finer than 16 microns). This study shows that small changes in the often assumed stability of the PSD are significant to SSC~T relations. Changes of only 5 microns in the fine silt and smaller size fractions of suspended sediment PSD can produce hysteresis in the SSC~T rating that can increase error and produce bias. Observed SSC~T hysteresis may be an indicator of changes in sediment properties during stormflows and of potential changes in sediment sources. Trends in the PSD time series indicate that sediment transport is capacity-limited for sand-sized sediment in the channel and supply-limited for fine silt and smaller sediment from the hillslope.
A simple technique to determine the size distribution of nuclear crater fallback and ejecta
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Anderson, II, Brooks D [U.S. Army Engineer Nuclear Cratering Group, Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, Livermore, CA (United States)
1970-05-15
This report describes the results of an investigation to find an economic method for determining the block size distribution of nuclear crater fallback and ejecta. It is shown that the modal analysis method of determining relative proportions can be applied with the use of a special sampling technique, to provide a size distribution curve for clastic materials similar to one obtainable by sieving and weighing the same materials.
A simple technique to determine the size distribution of nuclear crater fallback and ejecta
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Anderson, Brooks D. II
1970-01-01
This report describes the results of an investigation to find an economic method for determining the block size distribution of nuclear crater fallback and ejecta. It is shown that the modal analysis method of determining relative proportions can be applied with the use of a special sampling technique, to provide a size distribution curve for clastic materials similar to one obtainable by sieving and weighing the same materials
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
A. Wiedensohler
2012-03-01
Full Text Available Mobility particle size spectrometers often referred to as DMPS (Differential Mobility Particle Sizers or SMPS (Scanning Mobility Particle Sizers have found a wide range of applications in atmospheric aerosol research. However, comparability of measurements conducted world-wide is hampered by lack of generally accepted technical standards and guidelines with respect to the instrumental set-up, measurement mode, data evaluation as well as quality control. Technical standards were developed for a minimum requirement of mobility size spectrometry to perform long-term atmospheric aerosol measurements. Technical recommendations include continuous monitoring of flow rates, temperature, pressure, and relative humidity for the sheath and sample air in the differential mobility analyzer.
We compared commercial and custom-made inversion routines to calculate the particle number size distributions from the measured electrical mobility distribution. All inversion routines are comparable within few per cent uncertainty for a given set of raw data.
Furthermore, this work summarizes the results from several instrument intercomparison workshops conducted within the European infrastructure project EUSAAR (European Supersites for Atmospheric Aerosol Research and ACTRIS (Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure Network to determine present uncertainties especially of custom-built mobility particle size spectrometers. Under controlled laboratory conditions, the particle number size distributions from 20 to 200 nm determined by mobility particle size spectrometers of different design are within an uncertainty range of around ±10% after correcting internal particle losses, while below and above this size range the discrepancies increased. For particles larger than 200 nm, the uncertainty range increased to 30%, which could not be explained. The network reference mobility spectrometers with identical design agreed within ±4% in the
A simple algorithm for measuring particle size distributions on an uneven background from TEM images
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Gontard, Lionel Cervera; Ozkaya, Dogan; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E.
2011-01-01
Nanoparticles have a wide range of applications in science and technology. Their sizes are often measured using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or X-ray diffraction. Here, we describe a simple computer algorithm for measuring particle size distributions from TEM images in the presence of a...... application to images of heterogeneous catalysts is presented.......Nanoparticles have a wide range of applications in science and technology. Their sizes are often measured using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or X-ray diffraction. Here, we describe a simple computer algorithm for measuring particle size distributions from TEM images in the presence...
Kenyon, Scott J.; Calvet, Nuria; Hartmann, Lee
1993-01-01
We describe radiative transfer calculations of infalling, dusty envelopes surrounding pre-main-sequence stars and use these models to derive physical properties for a sample of 21 heavily reddened young stars in the Taurus-Auriga molecular cloud. The density distributions needed to match the FIR peaks in the spectral energy distributions of these embedded sources suggest mass infall rates similar to those predicted for simple thermally supported clouds with temperatures about 10 K. Unless the dust opacities are badly in error, our models require substantial departures from spherical symmetry in the envelopes of all sources. These flattened envelopes may be produced by a combination of rotation and cavities excavated by bipolar flows. The rotating infall models of Terebey et al. (1984) models indicate a centrifugal radius of about 70 AU for many objects if rotation is the only important physical effect, and this radius is reasonably consistent with typical estimates for the sizes of circumstellar disks around T Tauri stars.
Kalberer, Markus; Sax, Mirjam; Samburova, Vera
2006-10-01
Only a minor fraction of the total organic aerosol mass can be resolved on a molecular level. High molecular weight compounds in organic aerosols have recently gained much attention because this class of compound potentially explains a major fraction of the unexplained organic aerosol mass. These compounds have been identified with different mass spectrometric methods, and compounds with molecular masses up to 1000 Da are found in secondary organic aerosols (SOA) generated from aromatic and terpene precursors in smog chamber experiments. Here, we apply matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) to SOA particles from two biogenic precursors, alpha-pinene and isoprene. Similar oligomer patterns are found in these two SOA systems, but also in SOA from trimethylbenzene, an anthropogenic SOA precursor. However, different maxima molecular sizes were measured for these three SOA systems. While oligomers in alpha-pinene and isoprene have sizes mostly below 600-700 Da, they grow up to about 1000 Da in trimethylbenzene-SOA. The final molecular size of the oligomers is reached early during the particle aging process, whereas other particle properties related to aging, such as the overall acid concentration or the oligomer concentration, increase continuously over a much longer time scale. This kinetic behavior of the oligomer molecular size growth can be explained by a chain growth kinetic regime. Similar oligomer mass patterns were measured in aqueous extracts of ambient aerosol samples (measured with the same technique). Distinct differences between summer and winter were observed. In summer a few single mass peaks were measured with much higher intensity than in winter, pointing to a possible difference in the formation processes of these compounds in winter and summer.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mathis, J.S.; Wallenhorst, S.G.
1981-01-01
The effect of changing the upper and lower size limits of a distribution of bare graphite and silicate particles with n(a)αa/sup -q/ is investigated. Mathis, Rumpl, and Nordsieck showed that the normal extinction is matched very well by having the small-size cutoff, a/sub -/, roughly-equal0.005 or 0.01 μm, and the large size a/sub +/, about 0.25 μm, and q = 3.5 for both substances. We consider the progressively peculiar extinctions exhibited by the well-observed stars, sigma Sco, rho Oph, and theta 1 Ori C, with values of R/sub v/[equivalentA/sub v//E(B--V)] of 3.4, 4.4, and 5.5 compared to the normal 3.1. Two (sigma Sco, rho Oph) are in a neutral dense cloud; theta 1 Ori C is in the Orion Nebula. We find that sigma Sco has a normal graphite distribution but has had its small silicate particles removed, so that a/sub -/(sil)roughly-equal0.04 μm if q = 3.5, or q(sil) = 2.6 if the size limits are fixed. However, the upper size limit on silicates remains normal. In rho Oph, the graphite is still normal, but both a/sub -/(sil) and a/sub +/(sil) are increased, to about 0.04 μm and 0.4 or 0.5 μm, respectively, if q = 3.5, or q(sil)roughly-equal1.3 if the size limits are fixed. In theta 1 Ori, the small limit on graphite has increased to about 0.04 μm, or q(gra)roughly-equal3, while the silicates are about like those in rho Oph. The calculated lambda2175 bump is broader than the observed, but normal foreground extinction probably contributes appreciably to the observed bump. The absolute amount of extinction per H atom for rho Oph is not explained. The column density of H is so large that systematic effects might be present. Very large graphite particles (a>3 μm) are required to ''hide'' the graphite without overly affecting the visual extinction, but a normal (small) graphite size distribution is required by the lambda2175 bump. We feel that it is unlikely that such a bimodal distribution exists
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
T. Tuch
2007-11-01
Full Text Available Atmospheric aerosol particle size distributions at a continental background site in Eastern Germany were examined for a one-year period. Particles were classified using a twin differential mobility particle sizer in a size range between 3 and 800 nm. As a novelty, every second measurement of this experiment involved the removal of volatile chemical compounds in a thermodenuder at 300°C. This concept allowed to quantify the number size distribution of non-volatile particle cores – primarily associated with elemental carbon, and to compare this to the original non-conditioned size distribution. As a byproduct of the volatility analysis, new particles originating from nucleation inside the thermodenuder can be observed, however, overwhelmingly at diameters below 6 nm. Within the measurement uncertainty, every particle down to particle sizes of 15 nm is concluded to contain a non-volatile core. The volume fraction of non-volatile particulate matter (non-conditioned diameter < 800 nm varied between 10 and 30% and was largely consistent with the experimentally determined mass fraction of elemental carbon. The average size of the non-volatile particle cores was estimated as a function of original non-conditioned size using a summation method, which showed that larger particles (>200 nm contained more non-volatile compounds than smaller particles (<50 nm, thus indicating a significantly different chemical composition. Two alternative air mass classification schemes based on either, synoptic chart analysis (Berliner Wetterkarte or back trajectories showed that the volume and number fraction of non-volatile cores depended less on air mass than the total particle number concentration. In all air masses, the non-volatile size distributions showed a more and a less volatile ("soot" mode, the latter being located at about 50 nm. During unstable conditions and in maritime air masses, smaller values were observed compared to stable or continental conditions
Pore-size distribution and compressibility of coarse sandy subsoil with added biochar
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Petersen, C. T.; Hansen, E.; Larsen, H. H.
2016-01-01
Sustainable agricultural production on coarse sandy soil is constrained by the restricted growth of roots, and poor water and nutrient retention. Amending the soil with biochar can reduce these problems, but the processes involved are not known in detail. We investigated in the laboratory...... the effects of two fine-grained gasification biochars made of straw (LTST) and other materials (LTSN) and of one fast pyrolysis straw biochar (FPST) on pore-size distribution and soil compressibility when added to coarse sandy subsoil. Water retention and therefore pore-size distribution were affected...... systematically. All biochars converted drainable pore space with pore diameters in the range 60–300 µm into water-retaining pores of size 0.2–60 µm, which was taken as an estimate of available water capacity (AWC). Effects were linear over the whole range of biochar (0–4% by mass). The effect of LTST and LTSN...
Zhao, Suping; Yu, Ye; Liu, Na; He, Jianjun; Chen, Jinbei
2014-02-01
During the 2012 Lanzhou International Marathon, the local government made a significant effort to improve traffic conditions and air quality by implementing traffic restriction measures. To evaluate the direct effect of these measures on urban air quality, especially particle concentrations and their size distributions, atmospheric particle size distributions (0.5-20 microm) obtained using an aerodynamic particle sizer (model 3321, TSI, USA) in June 2012 were analyzed. It was found that the particle number, surface area and volume concentrations for size range 0.5-10 microm were (15.0 +/- 2.1) cm(-3), (11.8 +/- 2.6) microm2/cm3 and (1.9 +/- 0.6) microm2/cm3, respectively, on the traffic-restricted day (Sunday), which is 63.2%, 53.0% and 47.2% lower than those on a normal Sunday. For number and surface area concentrations, the most affected size range was 0.5-0.7 and 0.5-0.8 microm, respectively, while for volume concentration, the most affected size ranges were 0.5-0.8, 1.7-2.0 and 5.0-5.4 microm. Number and volume concentrations of particles in size range 0.5-1.0 microm correlated well with the number of non-CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) powered vehicles, while their correlation with the number of CNG-powered vehicles was very low, suggesting that reasonable urban traffic controls along with vehicle technology improvements could play an important role in improving urban air quality.
Capital market financing, firm growth, and firm size distribution
Didier Brandao,Tatiana; Levine,Ross Eric; Schmukler,Sergio L.
2015-01-01
How many and which firms issue equity and bonds in domestic and international markets, how do these firms grow relative to non-issuing firms, and how does firm performance vary along the firm size distribution? To evaluate these questions, a new data set is constructed by matching data on firm-level capital raising activity with balance sheet data for 45,527 listed firms in 51 countries. T...
Rheology of Colombian coal-water slurry fuels: Effect of particle-size distribution
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Pulido, J E; Rojas, C P; Acero, G [Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga (Colombia)
1996-12-31
Coal-water slurry fuels (CWSF`s) have been prepared and characterized in a research project in Colombia, sponsored by Colciencias and Ecocarbon, in order to evaluate the effects of the different composition variables on the behavior during preparation and pipe line transportation. The authors have previously presented details describing the characteristics of the slurry fuels prepared with five types of Colombian thermal coals and the influence of their chemical composition on the optimum particle-size distribution (PSD) required to prepare highly loaded and workable CWSF`s. The formulation and design of flow systems of suspensions with high solids content, such as the CWSF`s, require a detailed rheological knowledge of the suspension in terms of the governing parameters related to PSD, coal content, surface chemistry of the particles and dispersants used to stabilize the slurries. Important studies on these aspects have been reviewed and carried out experimentally by other authors specially devoted to the correlations between apparent viscosity, solids content and average coal particle-size. One of the targets to obtain an optimum control on the viscosity and flow properties of the CWSF`s must be based in correlating the Theological constants for the prevailing model of viscosity law to the characteristic parameters of the particle-size distribution and to the coal content in the slurry. In spite of the effect of PSD on the rheology of highly-loaded coal slurries have been long recognized as significant, the specific influence of the various PSD`s on the parameters of the Theological model continues to receive attention to further understanding in order to improve the slurry formulations for a specified purpose on preparation and hydraulic handling. This paper reports the results of an experimental technique of examining the various PSD`s on coal slurry fuel rheology, taking special attention for the effect on the parameters of the rheological model.
Growth Kinetics and Size Distribution Dynamics of Viscous Secondary Organic Aerosol
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Zaveri, Rahul A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Atmospheric Science and Global Change Div. (ASGC); Shilling, John E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Atmospheric Science and Global Change Div. (ASGC); Zelenyuk, Alla [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Physical Sciences Div.; Liu, Jiumeng [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Atmospheric Science and Global Change Div. (ASGC); Bell, David M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Physical Sciences Div.; Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland). Lab. of Atmospheric Chemistry; D’Ambro, Emma L. [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences and Dept. of Chemistry; Gaston, Cassandra J. [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences; Univ. of Miami, Miami, FL (United States). Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science; Thornton, Joel A. [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences and Dept. of Chemistry; Laskin, Alexander [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL); Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Lin, Peng [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL); Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Wilson, Jacqueline [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Physical Sciences Div.; Easter, Richard C. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Atmospheric Science and Global Change Div. (ASGC); Wang, Jian [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Environmental & Climate Sciences Dept.; Bertram, Allan K. [Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada). Dept. of Chemistry; Martin, Scot T. [Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States). School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences; Seinfeld, John H. [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States). Div. of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Div. of Engineering and Applied Science; Worsnop, Douglas R. [Aerodyne Research, Billerica, MA (United States). Center for Aerosol and Cloud Chemistry
2017-12-15
Low bulk diffusivity inside viscous semisolid atmospheric secondary organic aerosol (SOA) can prolong equilibration time scale, but its broader impacts on aerosol growth and size distribution dynamics are poorly understood. In this article, we present quantitative insights into the effects of bulk diffusivity on the growth and evaporation kinetics of SOA formed under dry conditions from photooxidation of isoprene in the presence of a bimodal aerosol consisting of Aitken (ammonium sulfate) and accumulation (isoprene or α-pinene SOA) mode particles. Aerosol composition measurements and evaporation kinetics indicate that isoprene SOA is composed of several semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), with some reversibly reacting to form oligomers. Model analysis shows that liquid-like bulk diffusivities can be used to fit the observed evaporation kinetics of accumulation mode particles but fail to explain the growth kinetics of bimodal aerosol by significantly under-predicting the evolution of the Aitken mode. In contrast, the semisolid scenario successfully reproduces both evaporation and growth kinetics, with the interpretation that hindered partitioning of SVOCs into large viscous particles effectively promotes the growth of smaller particles that have shorter diffusion time scales. This effect has important implications for the growth of atmospheric ultrafine particles to climatically active sizes.
State-Of-The-Art in Microgrid-Integrated Distributed Energy Storage Sizing
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ibrahim Alsaidan
2017-09-01
Full Text Available Distributed energy storage (DES plays an important role in microgrid operation and control, as it can potentially improve local reliability and resilience, reduce operation cost, and mitigate challenges caused by high penetration renewable generation. However, to ensure an acceptable economic and technical performance, DES must be optimally sized and placed. This paper reviews the existing DES sizing methods for microgrid applications and presents a generic sizing method that enables microgrid planners to efficiently determine the optimal DES size, technology, and location. The proposed method takes into consideration the impact of DES operation on its lifetime to enhance the obtained results accuracy and practicality. The presented model can be used for both grid-tied (considering both grid-connected and islanded modes and isolated microgrids.
Assessing T cell clonal size distribution: a non-parametric approach.
Bolkhovskaya, Olesya V; Zorin, Daniil Yu; Ivanchenko, Mikhail V
2014-01-01
Clonal structure of the human peripheral T-cell repertoire is shaped by a number of homeostatic mechanisms, including antigen presentation, cytokine and cell regulation. Its accurate tuning leads to a remarkable ability to combat pathogens in all their variety, while systemic failures may lead to severe consequences like autoimmune diseases. Here we develop and make use of a non-parametric statistical approach to assess T cell clonal size distributions from recent next generation sequencing data. For 41 healthy individuals and a patient with ankylosing spondylitis, who undergone treatment, we invariably find power law scaling over several decades and for the first time calculate quantitatively meaningful values of decay exponent. It has proved to be much the same among healthy donors, significantly different for an autoimmune patient before the therapy, and converging towards a typical value afterwards. We discuss implications of the findings for theoretical understanding and mathematical modeling of adaptive immunity.
The in-situ cometary particulate size distribution measured for one comet: P/Halley
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
McDonnell, J.A.M.; Pankiewicz, G.S.
1989-01-01
The close approach of Giotto to comet Halley during its 1986 apparition offered an opportunity to study the particulate mass distribution to masses of up to one gram. Data acquired by the front end channels of the highly sensitive mass spectrometer PIA and the dust shield detector system, DIDSY, provide definition to the detected distribution as close as 1000 km to the nucleus. Dynamic motion of the particulates after emission leads to a spatial differentiation affecting the size distribution in several forms: (1) ejecta velocity dispersion; (2) radiation pressure; (3) varying heliocentric distance; and (4) anisotropic nucleus emission. Transformation of the in-situ distribution from PIA and DIDSY weighted heavily by the near-nucleus fluxes leads to a presumed nucleus distribution. The data lead to a puzzling distribution at large masses, not readily explained in an otherwise monotonous power law distribution. Although temporal changes in nucleus activity could and do modify the in-situ size distribution, such an explanation is not wholly possible, because the same form is observed at differing locations in the coma where the time of flight from the nucleus greatly varies. Thus neither a general change in comet activity nor spatial variations lead to a satisfactory explanation
Balliou, Angelika; Bouroushian, Mirtat; Douvas, Antonios M.; Skoulatakis, George; Kennou, Stella; Glezos, Nikos
2018-07-01
All-inorganic self-arranged molecular transition metal oxide hyperstructures based on polyoxometalate molecules (POMs) are fabricated and tested as electronically tunable components in emerging electronic devices. POM hyperstructures reveal great potential as charging nodes of tunable charging level for molecular memories and as enhancers of interfacial electron/hole injection for photovoltaic stacks. STM, UPS, UV–vis spectroscopy and AFM measurements show that this functionality stems from the films’ ability to structurally tune their HOMO–LUMO levels and electron localization length at room temperature. By adapting POM nanocluster size in solution, self-doping and current modulation of four orders of magnitude is monitored on a single nanocluster on SiO2 at voltages as low as 3 Volt. Structurally driven insulator-to-semi-metal transitions and size-dependent current regulation through single electron tunneling are demonstrated and examined with respect to the stereochemical and electronic structure of the molecular entities. This extends the value of self-assembly as a tool for correlation length and electronic properties tuning and demonstrate POM hyperstructures’ plausibility for on-chip molecular electronics operative at room temperature.
Balliou, Angelika; Bouroushian, Mirtat; Douvas, Antonios M; Skoulatakis, George; Kennou, Stella; Glezos, Nikos
2018-07-06
All-inorganic self-arranged molecular transition metal oxide hyperstructures based on polyoxometalate molecules (POMs) are fabricated and tested as electronically tunable components in emerging electronic devices. POM hyperstructures reveal great potential as charging nodes of tunable charging level for molecular memories and as enhancers of interfacial electron/hole injection for photovoltaic stacks. STM, UPS, UV-vis spectroscopy and AFM measurements show that this functionality stems from the films' ability to structurally tune their HOMO-LUMO levels and electron localization length at room temperature. By adapting POM nanocluster size in solution, self-doping and current modulation of four orders of magnitude is monitored on a single nanocluster on SiO 2 at voltages as low as 3 Volt. Structurally driven insulator-to-semi-metal transitions and size-dependent current regulation through single electron tunneling are demonstrated and examined with respect to the stereochemical and electronic structure of the molecular entities. This extends the value of self-assembly as a tool for correlation length and electronic properties tuning and demonstrate POM hyperstructures' plausibility for on-chip molecular electronics operative at room temperature.
Saharan Dust Particle Size And Concentration Distribution In Central Ghana
Sunnu, A. K.
2010-12-01
A.K. Sunnu*, G. M. Afeti* and F. Resch+ *Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Kumasi, Ghana. E-mail: albertsunnu@yahoo.com +Laboratoire Lepi, ISITV-Université du Sud Toulon-Var, 83162 La Valette cedex, France E-mail: resch@univ-tln.fr Keywords: Atmospheric aerosol; Saharan dust; Particle size distributions; Particle concentrations. Abstract The Saharan dust that is transported and deposited over many countries in the West African atmospheric environment (5°N), every year, during the months of November to March, known locally as the Harmattan season, have been studied over a 13-year period, between 1996 and 2009, using a location at Kumasi in central Ghana (6° 40'N, 1° 34'W) as the reference geographical point. The suspended Saharan dust particles were sampled by an optical particle counter, and the particle size distributions and concentrations were analysed. The counter gives the total dust loads as number of particles per unit volume of air. The optical particle counter used did not discriminate the smoke fractions (due to spontaneous bush fires during the dry season) from the Saharan dust. Within the particle size range measured (0.5 μm-25 μm.), the average inter-annual mean particle diameter, number and mass concentrations during the northern winter months of January and February were determined. The average daily number concentrations ranged from 15 particles/cm3 to 63 particles/cm3 with an average of 31 particles/cm3. The average daily mass concentrations ranged from 122 μg/m3 to 1344 μg/m3 with an average of 532 μg/m3. The measured particle concentrations outside the winter period were consistently less than 10 cm-3. The overall dust mean particle diameter, analyzed from the peak representative Harmattan periods over the 13-year period, ranged from 0.89 μm to 2.43 μm with an average of 1.5 μm ± 0.5. The particle size distributions exhibited the typical distribution pattern for
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yuan Yuan; Yi Hongliang; Shuai Yong; Wang Fuqiang; Tan Heping
2010-01-01
As a part of resolving optical properties in atmosphere radiative transfer calculations, this paper focuses on obtaining aerosol optical thicknesses (AOTs) in the visible and near infrared wave band through indirect method by gleaning the values of aerosol particle size distribution parameters. Although various inverse techniques have been applied to obtain values for these parameters, we choose a stochastic particle swarm optimization (SPSO) algorithm to perform an inverse calculation. Computational performances of different inverse methods are investigated and the influence of swarm size on the inverse problem of computation particles is examined. Next, computational efficiencies of various particle size distributions and the influences of the measured errors on computational accuracy are compared. Finally, we recover particle size distributions for atmospheric aerosols over Beijing using the measured AOT data (at wavelengths λ=0.400, 0.690, 0.870, and 1.020 μm) obtained from AERONET at different times and then calculate other AOT values for this band based on the inverse results. With calculations agreeing with measured data, the SPSO algorithm shows good practicability.
Projection methods for the analysis of molecular-frame photoelectron angular distributions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Grum-Grzhimailo, A.N.; Lucchese, R.R.; Liu, X.-J.; Pruemper, G.; Morishita, Y.; Saito, N.; Ueda, K.
2007-01-01
A projection method is developed for extracting the nondipole contribution from the molecular frame photoelectron angular distributions of linear molecules. A corresponding convenient parametric form for the angular distributions is derived. The analysis was performed for the N 1s photoionization of the NO molecule a few eV above the ionization threshold. No detectable nondipole contribution was found for the photon energy of 412 eV
Micro nutrient status and their distribution in aggregate-size fractions ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Micro nutrients are particularly sensitive to changes in land use and their availability in soil is influenced by their distribution and storage in stable aggregate fractions. Micro nutrient, (Fe, Mn and Zn) status and their storage in stable aggregate-size fractions in forested, rubber plantation, oil palm plantation, plantain plantation ...
Bubble size distribution analysis and control in high frequency ultrasonic cleaning processes
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hauptmann, M; Struyf, H; Mertens, P; Heyns, M; Gendt, S De; Brems, S; Glorieux, C
2012-01-01
In the semiconductor industry, the ongoing down-scaling of nanoelectronic elements has lead to an increasing complexity of their fabrication. Hence, the individual fabrication processes become increasingly difficult to handle. To minimize cross-contamination, intermediate surface cleaning and preparation steps are inevitable parts of the semiconductor process chain. Here, one major challenge is the removal of residual nano-particulate contamination resulting from abrasive processes such as polishing and etching. In the past, physical cleaning techniques such as megasonic cleaning have been proposed as suitable solutions. However, the soaring fragility of the smallest structures is constraining the forces of the involved physical removal mechanisms. In the case of 'megasonic' cleaning –cleaning with ultrasound in the MHz-domain – the main cleaning action arises from strongly oscillating microbubbles which emerge from the periodically changing tensile strain in the cleaning liquid during sonication. These bubbles grow, oscillate and collapse due to a complex interplay of rectified diffusion, bubble coalescence, non-linear pulsation and the onset of shape instabilities. Hence, the resulting bubble size distribution does not remain static but alternates continuously. Only microbubbles in this distribution that show a high oscillatory response are responsible for the cleaning action. Therefore, the cleaning process efficiency can be improved by keeping the majority of bubbles around their resonance size. In this paper, we propose a method to control and characterize the bubble size distribution by means of 'pulsed' sonication and measurements of acoustic cavitation spectra, respectively. We show that the so-obtained bubble size distributions can be related to theoretical predictions of the oscillatory responses of and the onset of shape instabilities for the respective bubbles. We also propose a mechanism to explain the enhancement of both acoustic and cleaning
Scale economies and optimal size in the Swiss gas distribution sector
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Alaeifar, Mozhgan; Farsi, Mehdi; Filippini, Massimo
2014-01-01
This paper studies the cost structure of Swiss gas distribution utilities. Several econometric models are applied to a panel of 26 companies over 1996–2000. Our main objective is to estimate the optimal size and scale economies of the industry and to study their possible variation with respect to network characteristics. The results indicate the presence of unexploited scale economies. However, very large companies in the sample and companies with a disproportionate mixture of output and density present an exception. Furthermore, the estimated optimal size for majority of companies in the sample has shown a value far greater than the actual size, suggesting remarkable efficiency gains by reorganization of the industry. The results also highlight the effect of customer density on optimal size. Networks with higher density or greater complexity have a lower optimal size. - highlights: • Presence of unexploited scale economies for small and medium sized companies. • Scale economies vary considerably with customer density. • Higher density or greater complexity is associated with lower optimal size. • Optimal size varies across the companies through unobserved heterogeneity. • Firms with low density can gain more from expanding firm size
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Zaremba Matouš
2015-01-01
Full Text Available Twin-fluid atomizers underwent a significant development during the last few decades. They are common in many industrial applications such as fuel spraying, melt atomization and food processing. This paper is focused on the evaluation of four different twin-fluid atomizers. The aim is to compare the quality of sprays generated by various atomizers with similar dimensions and in the same operating regimes. A phase- Doppler anemometry (PDA and particle image velocimetry (PIV were used to measure spray characteristics such as velocity and size of the droplets. Measured data were used to compare droplet size distribution and to evaluate steadiness of the spray. Visualisations were made to support measured data and to clarify the principles of primary atomization and its influence on the spray.
Zaremba, Matouš; Mlkvik, Marek; Malý, Milan; Jedelský, Jan; Jícha, Miroslav
2015-05-01
Twin-fluid atomizers underwent a significant development during the last few decades. They are common in many industrial applications such as fuel spraying, melt atomization and food processing. This paper is focused on the evaluation of four different twin-fluid atomizers. The aim is to compare the quality of sprays generated by various atomizers with similar dimensions and in the same operating regimes. A phase- Doppler anemometry (PDA) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) were used to measure spray characteristics such as velocity and size of the droplets. Measured data were used to compare droplet size distribution and to evaluate steadiness of the spray. Visualisations were made to support measured data and to clarify the principles of primary atomization and its influence on the spray.
Grain-to-grain variations in NbC particle size distributions in an austenitic stainless steel
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Barlow, C.Y.; Ralph, B.; Silverman, B.; Jones, A.R.
1979-01-01
Quantitative information has been obtained concerning the size distributions of NbC precipitate particles in different grains in a deformed and aged austenitic stainless steel specimen. The precipitate size distributions obtained differ from one grain to another. The average disparity measured between the mean precipitate sizes was a function of the distance between the grains compared. The results obtained are considered in terms of differences in precipitation behaviour due to variations in the levels of plastic strain in constituent grains of the deformed specimen. (author)
Methods for obtaining true particle size distributions from cross section measurements
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lord, Kristina Alyse [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)
2013-01-01
Sectioning methods are frequently used to measure grain sizes in materials. These methods do not provide accurate grain sizes for two reasons. First, the sizes of features observed on random sections are always smaller than the true sizes of solid spherical shaped objects, as noted by Wicksell [1]. This is the case because the section very rarely passes through the center of solid spherical shaped objects randomly dispersed throughout a material. The sizes of features observed on random sections are inversely related to the distance of the center of the solid object from the section [1]. Second, on a plane section through the solid material, larger sized features are more frequently observed than smaller ones due to the larger probability for a section to come into contact with the larger sized portion of the spheres than the smaller sized portion. As a result, it is necessary to find a method that takes into account these reasons for inaccurate particle size measurements, while providing a correction factor for accurately determining true particle size measurements. I present a method for deducing true grain size distributions from those determined from specimen cross sections, either by measurement of equivalent grain diameters or linear intercepts.
Nawrot, Rafal; Zuschin, Martin; Chattopadhyay, Devapriya
2015-04-01
Following the opening of the Suez Canal hundreds of Red Sea species have entered the Mediterranean Sea making it a global hot spot of marine bioinvasion. With the ongoing influx of the subtropical and tropical alien species and increasing sea surface temperatures, the Mediterranean biota is currently gaining a more tropical character and increasingly becoming a mixture of faunal stocks with different evolutionary histories. This susceptibility to invasion was suggested to reflect the presence of an empty ecological space left after decimation of incumbent warm-water fauna during Plio-Pleistocene climate fluctuations. As molluscs are among the most prolific immigrants, we test this hypothesis using data on taxonomic composition and body size of Pliocene Mediterranean bivalves derived from the literature sources and museum collections. The Pliocene inter-specific size-frequency distribution (SFD) is strikingly similar to the SFDs of the Recent Red Sea bivalve fauna, in spite of different biogeographic provenance and the absence of true reef ecosystems in the Pliocene of the Mediterranean region. In contrast, body-size patterns in both assemblages are significantly different from the present-day Mediterranean fauna characterized by smaller median and modal size. Our preliminary results suggest that the distinct shape of the modern Mediterranean SFD may reflect the selective nature of the late Piacenzian - Galesian (Late Pliocene - Early Pleistocene) extinctions pulses related to the onset of the Northern Hemisphere glaciations. These extinctions affected almost 40% of Pliocene species and were biased towards large-bodied taxa. They were not followed by re-immigration of warm-water species owing to the isolation from the tropical Atlantic biota by the cold upwelling along the NW coasts of Africa. The resulting invasion credit (sensu Jackson & Sax, 2010) is currently being paid by the Red Sea bivalves colonizing the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. Successful
Critical sizes and flux distributions in the shut down pile
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Banchereau, A.; Berthier, P.; Genthon, J.P.; Gourdon, C.; Lattes, R.; Martelly, J.; Mazancourt, R. de; Portes, L.; Sagot, M.; Schmitt, A.P.; Tanguy, P.; Teste du Bailler, A.; Veyssiere, A.
1957-01-01
An important part of the experiments carried out on the reactor G1 during a period of shut-down has consisted in determinations of critical sizes, and measurements of flux distribution by irradiations of detectors. This report deals with the following points: 1- Critical sizes of the flat pile, the long pile and the uranium-thorium pile. 2- Flux charts of the same piles, and study of an exponential experiment. 3- Determination of the slit effect. 4- Calculation of the anisotropy of the lattice. 5- Description of the experimental apparatus of the irradiation measurements. (author) [fr
Measurement of particle size distribution and mass concentration of nuclear fuel aerosols
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pickering, S.
1982-01-01
The particle size distribution and particle mass concentration of a nuclear fuel aerosol is measured by admitting the aerosol into a vertically-extending container, positioning an alpha particle detector within the container so that its window is horizontal and directed vertically, stopping the admission of aerosol into the container, detecting the alpha-activity of the particles of the aerosol sedimenting onto the detector window (for example in a series of equal time intervals until a constant level is reached), and converting the alpha-activity measurements into particle size distribution and/or particle mass concentration measurements. The detector is attached to a pivotted arm and by raising a counterweight can be lowered from the container for cleaning. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Steer, C.J.; Osborne, J.C. Jr.; Kempner, E.S.
1990-01-01
Radiation inactivation and sedimentation equilibrium analysis were used to determine the functional and physical size of the chicken hepatic membrane receptor that binds N-acetylglucosamine-terminated glycoproteins. Purified plasma membranes from chicken liver were irradiated with high energy electrons and assayed for 125I-agalactoorosomucoid binding. Increasing the dose of ionizing radiation resulted in a monoexponential decay in binding activity due to a progressive loss of binding sites. The molecular mass of the chicken lectin, determined in situ by target analysis, was 69,000 +/- 9,000 Da. When the same irradiated membranes were solubilized in Brij 58 and assayed, the binding protein exhibited a target size of 62,000 +/- 4,000 Da; in Triton X-100, the functional size of the receptor was 85,000 +/- 10,000 Da. Sedimentation equilibrium measurements of the purified binding protein yielded a lower limit molecular weight of 79,000 +/- 7,000. However, the solubilized lectin was detected as a heterogeneous population of oligomers with molecular weights as high as 450,000. Addition of calcium or calcium plus N-acetylglucosamine decreased the higher molecular weight species, but the lower limit molecular weights remained invariant. Similar results were determined when the chicken lectin was solubilized in Brij 58, C12E9, or 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propane-sulfonic acid (CHAPS). Results from the present study suggest that in the plasma membrane, the functional species of the chicken hepatic lectin exists as a trimer. However, in detergent solution, the purified receptor forms a heterogeneous population of irreversible oligomers that exhibit binding activity proportional to size
Transposable element distribution, abundance and role in genome size variation in the genus Oryza.
Zuccolo, Andrea; Sebastian, Aswathy; Talag, Jayson; Yu, Yeisoo; Kim, HyeRan; Collura, Kristi; Kudrna, Dave; Wing, Rod A
2007-08-29
The genus Oryza is composed of 10 distinct genome types, 6 diploid and 4 polyploid, and includes the world's most important food crop - rice (Oryza sativa [AA]). Genome size variation in the Oryza is more than 3-fold and ranges from 357 Mbp in Oryza glaberrima [AA] to 1283 Mbp in the polyploid Oryza ridleyi [HHJJ]. Because repetitive elements are known to play a significant role in genome size variation, we constructed random sheared small insert genomic libraries from 12 representative Oryza species and conducted a comprehensive study of the repetitive element composition, distribution and phylogeny in this genus. Particular attention was paid to the role played by the most important classes of transposable elements (Long Terminal Repeats Retrotransposons, Long interspersed Nuclear Elements, helitrons, DNA transposable elements) in shaping these genomes and in their contributing to genome size variation. We identified the elements primarily responsible for the most strikingly genome size variation in Oryza. We demonstrated how Long Terminal Repeat retrotransposons belonging to the same families have proliferated to very different extents in various species. We also showed that the pool of Long Terminal Repeat Retrotransposons is substantially conserved and ubiquitous throughout the Oryza and so its origin is ancient and its existence predates the speciation events that originated the genus. Finally we described the peculiar behavior of repeats in the species Oryza coarctata [HHKK] whose placement in the Oryza genus is controversial. Long Terminal Repeat retrotransposons are the major component of the Oryza genomes analyzed and, along with polyploidization, are the most important contributors to the genome size variation across the Oryza genus. Two families of Ty3-gypsy elements (RIRE2 and Atlantys) account for a significant portion of the genome size variations present in the Oryza genus.
Stationary Size Distributions of Growing Cells with Binary and Multiple Cell Division
Rading, M. M.; Engel, T. A.; Lipowsky, R.; Valleriani, A.
2011-10-01
Populations of unicellular organisms that grow under constant environmental conditions are considered theoretically. The size distribution of these cells is calculated analytically, both for the usual process of binary division, in which one mother cell produces always two daughter cells, and for the more complex process of multiple division, in which one mother cell can produce 2 n daughter cells with n=1,2,3,… . The latter mode of division is inspired by the unicellular algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The uniform response of the whole population to different environmental conditions is encoded in the individual rates of growth and division of the cells. The analytical treatment of the problem is based on size-dependent rules for cell growth and stochastic transition processes for cell division. The comparison between binary and multiple division shows that these different division processes lead to qualitatively different results for the size distribution and the population growth rates.
Size-dependent melting modes and behaviors of Ag nanoparticles: a molecular dynamics study
Liang, Tianshou; Zhou, Dejian; Wu, Zhaohua; Shi, Pengpeng
2017-12-01
The size-dependent melting behaviors and mechanisms of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) with diameters of 3.5-16 nm were investigated by molecular dynamics (MD). Two distinct melting modes, non-premelting and premelting with transition ranges of about 7-8 nm, for Ag NPs were demonstrated via the evolution of distribution and transition of atomic physical states during annealing. The small Ag NPs (3.5-7 nm) melt abruptly without a stable liquid shell before the melting point, which is characterized as non-premelting. A solid-solid crystal transformation is conducted through the migration of adatoms on the surface of Ag NPs with diameters of 3.5-6 nm before the initial melting, which is mainly responsible for slightly increasing the melting point of Ag NPs. On the other hand, surface premelting of Ag NPs with diameters of 8-16 nm propagates from the outer shell to the inner core with initial anisotropy and late isotropy as the temperature increases, and the close-packed facets {111} melt by a side-consumed way which is responsible for facets {111} melting in advance relative to the crystallographic plane {111}. Once a stable liquid shell is formed, its size-independent minimum thickness is obtained, and a three-layer structure of atomic physical states is set up. Lastly, the theory of point defect-pair (vacancy-interstitial) severing as the mechanism of formation and movement of the solid-liquid interface was also confirmed. Our study provides a basic understanding and theoretical guidance for the research, production and application of Ag NPs.
The formation of molecular hydrogen on silicate dust analogs: The rotational distribution
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gavilan, L.; Lemaire, J. L. [LERMA, UMR 8112 du CNRS, de l' Observatoire de Paris et de l' Université de Cergy Pontoise, 5 mail Gay Lussac, F-95000 Cergy Pontoise Cedex (France); Vidali, G. [Visiting Professor. Permanent address: Syracuse University, Physics Department, Syracuse, NY 13244-1320, USA. (United States); Sabri, T.; Jæger, C., E-mail: lisseth.gavilan@obspm.fr [Laboratory Astrophysics and Cluster Physics Group of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany)
2014-02-01
Our laboratory experiments continue to explore how the formation of molecular hydrogen is influenced by dust and how dust thereby affects hydrogen molecules adsorbed on its surface. In Sabri et al., we present the preparation of nanometer-sized silicate grain analogs via laser ablation. These analogs illustrate extremes in structure (fully crystalline or fully amorphous grains), and stoichiometry (the forsterite and fayalite end-members of the olivine family). These were inserted in FORMOLISM, an ultra-high vacuum setup where they can be cooled down to ∼5 K. Atomic beams are directed at these surfaces and the formation of new molecules is studied via REMPI(2+1) spectroscopy. We explored the rotational distribution (0 ≤ J'' ≤ 5) of v'' = 0 of the ground electronic state of H{sub 2}. The results of these measurements are reported here. Surprisingly, molecules formed and ejected from crystalline silicates have a cold (T {sub rot} ∼ 120 K) rotational energy distribution, while for molecules formed on and ejected from amorphous silicate films, the rotational temperature is ∼310 K. These results are compared to previous experiments on metallic surfaces and theoretical simulations. Solid-state surface analysis suggests that flatter grains could hinder the 'cartwheel' rotation mode. A search for hot hydrogen, predicted as a result of H{sub 2} formation, hints at its production. For the first time, the rotational distribution of hydrogen molecules formed on silicate dust is reported. These results are essential to understanding the chemistry of astrophysical media containing bare dust grains.
Role of Molecular Weight Distribution on Charge Transport in Semiconducting Polymers
Himmelberger, Scott
2014-10-28
© 2014 American Chemical Society. Model semiconducting polymer blends of well-controlled molecular weight distributions are fabricated and demonstrated to be a simple method to control intermolecular disorder without affecting intramolecular order or degree of aggregation. Mobility measurements exhibit that even small amounts of low molecular weight material are detrimental to charge transport. Trends in charge carrier mobility can be reproduced by a simple analytical model which indicates that carriers have no preference for high or low molecular weight chains and that charge transport is limited by interchain hopping. These results quantify the role of long polymer tie-chains and demonstrate the need for controlled polydispersity for achieving high carrier mobilities.
Size distributions and chemical properties of aerosol at Ny Ålesund, Svalbard
Covert, David S.; Heintzenberg, Jost
Physical and chemical parameters of the arctic aerosol were investigated at Ny Ålesund, Svalbard, in March and April 1989 in connection with the third Arctic Gas and Aerosol Project (AGASP III). The number size distribution of the particles was measured over the range of 0.02-1.0 μm. Filter samples were analysed for elemental composition and two integral chemical properties, hygroscopic growth and volatility, were measured. Along with the latter measurements, the distribution of these properties at specific particle sizes, i.e. the degree of internal mixing, was determined. Both clean, marine conditions and "arctic haze" episodes were included in the series of measurements. The number size distribution indicated that the aerosol was well aged based on its narrowness and the relative low concentration of nuclei mode particles. It had a number mode at 0.22 μm diameter and geometric standard deviation of 1.4. Generally the particles exhibited uniform hygroscopic growth properties, i.e. they were largely internally mixed. The growth factor was 1.45 at 90% relative humidity. Approximately 40% of the overall particulate mass was volatile at a temperature of 50°C. The volatile fraction varied form particle to particle, i.e. the particles were externally mixed with respect to volatility.
Seasonal evolution of the Arctic marginal ice zone and its power-law obeying floe size distribution
Zhang, J.; Stern, H. L., III; Schweiger, A. J. B.; Steele, M.; Hwang, P. B.
2017-12-01
A thickness, floe size, and enthalpy distribution (TFED) sea ice model, implemented numerically into the Pan-arctic Ice-Ocean Modeling and Assimilation System (PIOMAS), is used to investigate the seasonal evolution of the Arctic marginal ice zone (MIZ) and its floe size distribution. The TFED sea ice model, by coupling the Zhang et al. [2015] sea ice floe size distribution (FSD) theory with the Thorndike et al. [1975] ice thickness distribution (ITD) theory, simulates 12-category FSD and ITD explicitly and jointly. A range of ice thickness and floe size observations were used for model calibration and validation. The model creates FSDs that generally obey a power law or upper truncated power law, as observed by satellites and aerial surveys. In this study, we will examine the role of ice fragmentation and lateral melting in altering FSDs in the Arctic MIZ. We will also investigate how changes in FSD impact the seasonal evolution of the MIZ by modifying the thermodynamic processes.
Simulating SAL formation and aerosol size distribution during SAMUM-I
Khan, Basit Ali
2015-04-01
To understand the formation mechanisms of Saharan Air Layer (SAL), we combine model simulations and dust observations collected during the first stage of the Saharan Mineral Dust Experiment (SAMUM-I), which sampled dust events that extended from Morocco to Portugal, and investigated the spatial distribution and the microphysical, optical, chemical, and radiative properties of Saharan mineral dust. We employed the Weather Research Forecast model coupled with the Chemistry/Aerosol module (WRF-Chem) to reproduce the meteorological environment and spatial and size distributions of dust. The experimental domain covers northwest Africa including the southern Sahara, Morocco and part of the Atlantic Ocean with 5 km horizontal grid spacing and 51 vertical layers. The experiments were run from 20 May to 9 June 2006, covering the period of most intensive dust outbreaks. Comparisons of model results with available airborne and ground-based observations show that WRF-Chem reproduces observed meteorological fields as well as aerosol spatial distribution across the entire region and along the airplane\\'s tracks. We evaluated several aerosol uplift processes and found that orographic lifting, aerosol transport through the land/sea interface with steep gradients of meteorological characteristics, and interaction of sea breezes with the continental outflow are key mechanisms that form a surface-detached aerosol plume over the ocean. Comparisons of simulated dust size distributions with airplane and ground-based observations are generally good, but suggest that more detailed treatment of microphysics in the model is required to capture the full-scale effect of large aerosol particles.
Chen, Hua; Chen, Kun
2013-07-01
The distributions of coalescence times and ancestral lineage numbers play an essential role in coalescent modeling and ancestral inference. Both exact distributions of coalescence times and ancestral lineage numbers are expressed as the sum of alternating series, and the terms in the series become numerically intractable for large samples. More computationally attractive are their asymptotic distributions, which were derived in Griffiths (1984) for populations with constant size. In this article, we derive the asymptotic distributions of coalescence times and ancestral lineage numbers for populations with temporally varying size. For a sample of size n, denote by Tm the mth coalescent time, when m + 1 lineages coalesce into m lineages, and An(t) the number of ancestral lineages at time t back from the current generation. Similar to the results in Griffiths (1984), the number of ancestral lineages, An(t), and the coalescence times, Tm, are asymptotically normal, with the mean and variance of these distributions depending on the population size function, N(t). At the very early stage of the coalescent, when t → 0, the number of coalesced lineages n - An(t) follows a Poisson distribution, and as m → n, $$n\\left(n-1\\right){T}_{m}/2N\\left(0\\right)$$ follows a gamma distribution. We demonstrate the accuracy of the asymptotic approximations by comparing to both exact distributions and coalescent simulations. Several applications of the theoretical results are also shown: deriving statistics related to the properties of gene genealogies, such as the time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) and the total branch length (TBL) of the genealogy, and deriving the allele frequency spectrum for large genealogies. With the advent of genomic-level sequencing data for large samples, the asymptotic distributions are expected to have wide applications in theoretical and methodological development for population genetic inference.
Determination of aerosol size distributions at uranium mill tailings remedial action project sites
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Newton, G.J.; Reif, R.H.; Hoover, M.D.
1994-01-01
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has an ongoing program, the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project, to stabilize piles of uranium mill tailings in order to reduce the potential radiological hazards to the public. Protection of workers and the general public against airborne radioactivity during remedial action is a top priority at the UMTRA Project. The primary occupational radionuclides of concern are 230 Th, 226 Ra, 210 Pb, 210 Po, and the short-lived decay products of 222 Rn with 230 Th causing the majority of the committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE) from inhaling uranium mill tailings. Prior to this study, a default particle size of 1.0 μm activity median aerodynamic diameter (AMAD) was assumed for airborne radioactive tailings dust. Because of recent changes in DOE requirements, all DOE operations are now required to use the CEDE methodology, instead of the annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE) methodology, to evaluate internal radiation exposures. Under the transition from AEDE to CEDE, with a 1.0 μm AMAD particle size, lower bioassay action levels would be required for the UMTRA Project. This translates into an expanded internal dosimetry program where significantly more bioassay monitoring would be required at the UMTRA Project sites. However, for situations where the particle size distribution is known to differ significantly from 1.0 μm AMAD, the DOE allows for corrections to be made to both the estimated dose to workers and the derived air concentration (DAC) values. For particle sizes larger than 1.0 μm AMAD, the calculated CEDE from inhaling tailings would be relatively lower
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Deng Guilong; Chen Chunying; Zhang Peiqun; Zhao Jiujiang; Chai Zhifang
2005-01-01
The distribution patterns of 17 elements in the subcellular fractions of nuclei, mitochondria, lysosome, microsome and cytosol of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and normal liver samples were investigated by using molecular activation analysis (MAA) and differential centrifugation. Their significant difference was checked by the Studient's t-test. These elements exhibit inhomogeneous distributions in each subcellular fraction. Some elements have no significant difference between hepatocellular carcinoma and normal liver samples. However, the concentrations of Br, Ca, Cd and Cs are significantly higher in each component of hepatocarcinoma than in normal liver. The content of Fe in microsome of HCC is significantly lower, almost half of normal liver samples, but higher in other subcellular fractions than in those of normal tissues. The rare earth elements of La and Ce have the patterns similar to Fe. The concentrations of Sb and Zn in nuclei of HCC are obviously lower (P<0.05, P<0.05). The contents of K and Na are higher in cytosol of HCC (P<0.05). The distributions of Ba and Rb show no significant difference between two groups. The relationships of Fe, Cd and K with HCC were also discussed. The levels of some elements in subcellular fractions of tumor were quite different from those of normal liver, which suggested that trace elements might play important roles in the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma. (authors)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Guilong, Deng [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China). Inst. of High Energy Physics, Key Laboratory of Nuclear Analytical Techniques; Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang Univ., Hangzhou (China); Chunying, Chen; Peiqun, Zhang; Jiujiang, Zhao; Zhifang, Chai [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China). Inst. of High Energy Physics, Key Laboratory of Nuclear Analytical Techniques; Yingbin, Liu; Jianwei, Wang; Bin, Xu; Shuyou, Peng [Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang Univ., Hangzhou (China)
2005-07-15
The distribution patterns of 17 elements in the subcellular fractions of nuclei, mitochondria, lysosome, microsome and cytosol of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and normal liver samples were investigated by using molecular activation analysis (MAA) and differential centrifugation. Their significant difference was checked by the Studient's t-test. These elements exhibit inhomogeneous distributions in each subcellular fraction. Some elements have no significant difference between hepatocellular carcinoma and normal liver samples. However, the concentrations of Br, Ca, Cd and Cs are significantly higher in each component of hepatocarcinoma than in normal liver. The content of Fe in microsome of HCC is significantly lower, almost half of normal liver samples, but higher in other subcellular fractions than in those of normal tissues. The rare earth elements of La and Ce have the patterns similar to Fe. The concentrations of Sb and Zn in nuclei of HCC are obviously lower (P<0.05, P<0.05). The contents of K and Na are higher in cytosol of HCC (P<0.05). The distributions of Ba and Rb show no significant difference between two groups. The relationships of Fe, Cd and K with HCC were also discussed. The levels of some elements in subcellular fractions of tumor were quite different from those of normal liver, which suggested that trace elements might play important roles in the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma. (authors)
The grain-size distribution of pyroclasts: Primary fragmentation, conduit sorting or abrasion?
Kueppers, U.; Schauroth, J.; Taddeucci, J.
2013-12-01
Explosive volcanic eruptions expel a mixture of pyroclasts and lithics. Pyroclasts, fragments of the juvenile magma, record the state of the magma at fragmentation in terms of porosity and crystallinity. The grain size distribution of pyroclasts is generally considered to be a direct consequence of the conditions at magma fragmentation that is mainly driven by gas overpressure in bubbles, high shear rates, contact with external water or a combination of these factors. Stress exerted by any of these processes will lead to brittle fragmentation by overcoming the magma's relaxation timescale. As a consequence, most pyroclasts exhibit angular shapes. Upon magma fragmentation, the gas pyroclast mixture is accelerated upwards and eventually ejected from the vent. The total grain size distribution deposited is a function of fragmentation conditions and transport related sorting. Porous pyroclasts are very susceptible to abrasion by particle-particle or particle-conduit wall interaction. Accordingly, pyroclastic fall deposits with angular clasts should proof a low particle abrasion upon contact to other surfaces. In an attempt to constrain the degree of particle interaction during conduit flow, monomodal batches of washed pyroclasts have been accelerated upwards by rapid decompression and subsequently investigated for their grain size distribution. In our set-up, we used a vertical cylindrical tube without surface roughness as conduit. We varied grain size (0.125-0.25; 0.5-1; 1-2 mm), porosity (0; 10; 30 %), gas-particle ratio (10 and 40%), conduit length (10 and 28 cm) and conduit diameter (2.5 and 6 cm). All ejected particles were collected after settling at the base of a 3.3 m high tank and sieved at one sieve size below starting size (half-Φ). Grain size reduction showed a positive correlation with starting grain size, porosity and overpressure at the vent. Although milling in a volcanic conduit may take place, porous pyroclasts are very likely to be a primary product
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
M. Egüen
2012-05-01
Full Text Available This paper studies the influence of changing spatial resolution on the implementation of distributed hydrological modelling for water resource planning in Mediterranean areas. Different cell sizes were used to investigate variations in the basin hydrologic response given by the model WiMMed, developed in Andalusia (Spain, in a selected watershed. The model was calibrated on a monthly basis from the available daily flow data at the reservoir that closes the watershed, for three different cell sizes, 30, 100, and 500 m, and the effects of this change on the hydrological response of the basin were analysed by means of the comparison of the hydrological variables at different time scales for a 3-yr-period, and the effective values for the calibration parameters obtained for each spatial resolution. The variation in the distribution of the input parameters due to using different spatial resolutions resulted in a change in the obtained hydrological networks and significant differences in other hydrological variables, both in mean basin-scale and values distributed in the cell level. Differences in the magnitude of annual and global runoff, together with other hydrological components of the water balance, became apparent. This study demonstrated the importance of choosing the appropriate spatial scale in the implementation of a distributed hydrological model to reach a balance between the quality of results and the computational cost; thus, 30 and 100-m could be chosen for water resource management, without significant decrease in the accuracy of the simulation, but the 500-m cell size resulted in significant overestimation of runoff and consequently, could involve uncertain decisions based on the expected availability of rainfall excess for storage in the reservoirs. Particular values of the effective calibration parameters are also provided for this hydrological model and the study area.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lin, Shiang-Jiun; Wu, Cheng-Da; Fang, Te-Hua; Chen, Guan-Hung
2012-01-01
The bombardment process of a Ni cluster onto a Cu (0 0 1) surface is studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations based on the tight-binding second-moment approximation (TB-SMA) many-body potential. The effects of incident cluster size, substrate temperature, and incident energy are evaluated in terms of molecular trajectories, kinetic energy, stress, self-diffusion coefficient, and sputtering yield. The simulation results clearly show that the penetration depth and Cu surface damage increase with increasing incident cluster size for a given incident energy per atom. The self-diffusion coefficient and the penetration depth of a cluster significantly increase with increasing substrate temperature. An incident cluster can be scattered into molecules or atoms that become embedded in the surface after incidence. When the incident energy is increased, the number of volcano-like defects and the penetration depth increase. A high sputtering yield can be obtained by increasing the incident energy at high temperature. The sputtering yield significantly increases with cluster size when the incident energy is above 5 eV/atom.
Prediction of bread-making quality using size exclusion high ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Variation in the distribution of protein molecular weight in wheat (Triticum aestivum), influences breadmaking quality of wheat cultivars, resulting in either poor or good bread. The objective of this study was to predict breadmaking quality of wheat cultivars using size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography.
Determination of Crystallite Size Distribution Histogram in Nanocrystalline Anatase Powders by XRD
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Matěj, Z.; Matějová, Lenka; Novotný, F.; Drahokoupil, Jan; Kužel, R.
2011-01-01
Roč. 1, - (2011), s. 87-92 [European Powder Diffraction Conference EPDIC 12 /12./. Darmstadt, 27.08.2010-30.08.2010] R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KAN400720701 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40720504; CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : titanium dioxide * crystallite size * crystallite size distribution Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry http://www.oldenbourg-link.com/ toc /zkpr/current
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Rijssel, Jos van; Kuipers, Bonny W.M.; Erné, Ben H.
2014-01-01
A numerical inversion method known from the analysis of light scattering by colloidal dispersions is now applied to magnetization curves of ferrofluids. The distribution of magnetic particle sizes or dipole moments is determined without assuming that the distribution is unimodal or of a particular shape. The inversion method enforces positive number densities via a non-negative least squares procedure. It is tested successfully on experimental and simulated data for ferrofluid samples with known multimodal size distributions. The created computer program MINORIM is made available on the web. - Highlights: • A method from light scattering is applied to analyze ferrofluid magnetization curves. • A magnetic size distribution is obtained without prior assumption of its shape. • The method is tested successfully on ferrofluids with a known size distribution. • The practical limits of the method are explored with simulated data including noise. • This method is implemented in the program MINORIM, freely available online
Sonmez, Melda; Ince, Huseyin Yavuz; Yalcin, Ozlem; Ajdžanović, Vladimir; Spasojević, Ivan; Meiselman, Herbert J; Baskurt, Oguz K
2013-01-01
The role of membrane fluidity in determining red blood cell (RBC) deformability has been suggested by a number of studies. The present investigation evaluated alterations of RBC membrane fluidity, deformability and stability in the presence of four linear alcohols (methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol) using ektacytometry and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. All alcohols had a biphasic effect on deformability such that it increased then decreased with increasing concentration; the critical concentration for reversal was an inverse function of molecular size. EPR results showed biphasic changes of near-surface fluidity (i.e., increase then decrease) and a decreased fluidity of the lipid core; rank order of effectiveness was butanol > propanol > ethanol > methanol, with a significant correlation between near-surface fluidity and deformability (r = 0.697; palcohol enhanced the impairment of RBC deformability caused by subjecting cells to 100 Pa shear stress for 300 s, with significant differences from control being observed at higher concentrations of all four alcohols. The level of hemolysis was dependent on molecular size and concentration, whereas echinocytic shape transformation (i.e., biconcave disc to crenated morphology) was observed only for ethanol and propanol. These results are in accordance with available data obtained on model membranes. They document the presence of mechanical links between RBC deformability and near-surface membrane fluidity, chain length-dependence of the ability of alcohols to alter RBC mechanical behavior, and the biphasic response of RBC deformability and near-surface membrane fluidity to increasing alcohol concentrations.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
MARCELO DE JULIO
2013-06-01
Full Text Available This work used Fenton's reagent as a coagulating agent in the treatment of water samples with high true colour caused by humic substances (HS extracted from peat. In addition, the effects of the apparent molecular size of HS on coagulation, flocculation and flotation were studied. To that end, four distinct water samples having the same true colour were prepared using HS with different molecular sizes, which were obtained by ultrafiltration fractioning. Through optimisation of coagulant dosage and coagulation pH, as well as posterior construction of coagulation diagrams for each water sample, it was verified that the sample prepared with the smallest apparent molecular size of HS was the most difficult to treat, requiring higher coagulant (Fenton's reagent dosages than samples prepared with larger HS molecular sizes. Furthermore, filtration experiments after dissolved air flotation (DAF were carried out in an attempt to simulate conventional treatment. The most representative results in filtered water were: apparent colour ≤ 3 HU; turbidity Este trabalho empregou o reagente de Fenton como agente coagulante no tratamento de águas contendo cor elevada causada pela introdução de substâncias húmicas extraídas de turfa. Além disto, foi estudado o efeito do tamanho molecular aparente das substâncias húmicas na eficiência da coagulação, floculação e flotação de águas; para isto foram preparadas quatro águas distintas apresentado a mesma cor verdadeira, mas com substâncias húmicas de diferentes tamanhos moleculares, obtidas por fracionamento por ultrafiltração. Por meio da otimização da dosagem de coagulante e respectivo pH de coagulação e posterior construção dos diagramas de coagulação para cada água de estudo, verificou-se que a água preparada com as substâncias húmicas de menor tamanho molecular aparente apresentou maior grau de dificuldade para tratamento, requerendo dosagens de coagulante (reagente de Fenton bem
Implementation of force distribution analysis for molecular dynamics simulations
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Seifert Christian
2011-04-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background The way mechanical stress is distributed inside and propagated by proteins and other biopolymers largely defines their function. Yet, determining the network of interactions propagating internal strain remains a challenge for both, experiment and theory. Based on molecular dynamics simulations, we developed force distribution analysis (FDA, a method that allows visualizing strain propagation in macromolecules. Results To be immediately applicable to a wide range of systems, FDA was implemented as an extension to Gromacs, a commonly used package for molecular simulations. The FDA code comes with an easy-to-use command line interface and can directly be applied to every system built using Gromacs. We provide an additional R-package providing functions for advanced statistical analysis and presentation of the FDA data. Conclusions Using FDA, we were able to explain the origin of mechanical robustness in immunoglobulin domains and silk fibers. By elucidating propagation of internal strain upon ligand binding, we previously also successfully revealed the functionality of a stiff allosteric protein. FDA thus has the potential to be a valuable tool in the investigation and rational design of mechanical properties in proteins and nano-materials.
Assessing T cell clonal size distribution: a non-parametric approach.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Olesya V Bolkhovskaya
Full Text Available Clonal structure of the human peripheral T-cell repertoire is shaped by a number of homeostatic mechanisms, including antigen presentation, cytokine and cell regulation. Its accurate tuning leads to a remarkable ability to combat pathogens in all their variety, while systemic failures may lead to severe consequences like autoimmune diseases. Here we develop and make use of a non-parametric statistical approach to assess T cell clonal size distributions from recent next generation sequencing data. For 41 healthy individuals and a patient with ankylosing spondylitis, who undergone treatment, we invariably find power law scaling over several decades and for the first time calculate quantitatively meaningful values of decay exponent. It has proved to be much the same among healthy donors, significantly different for an autoimmune patient before the therapy, and converging towards a typical value afterwards. We discuss implications of the findings for theoretical understanding and mathematical modeling of adaptive immunity.
Nanometer size wear debris generated from ultra high molecular weight polyethylene in vivo
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Lapčíková, Monika; Šlouf, Miroslav; Dybal, Jiří; Zolotarevova, E.; Entlicher, G.; Pokorný, D.; Gallo, J.; Sosna, A.
2009-01-01
Roč. 266, 1-2 (2009), s. 349-355 ISSN 0043-1648 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 2B06096 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : ultra high molecular weight polyethylene * nanometer size wear debris * morphology of wear particles Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 1.771, year: 2009
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Montazeri, G.H. [Islamic Azad University, Mahshahr (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Dept. of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering], E-mail: montazeri_gh@yahoo.com; Tahami, S.A. [Mad Daneshgostar Tabnak Co. (MDT),Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Moradi, B.; Safari, E. [Iranian Central Oil Fields Co, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)], E-mail: morady.babak@gmail.com
2011-07-15
This paper presents a model for pressure transient and derivative analysis for naturally fractured reservoirs by a formulation of inter porosity flow incorporating variations in matrix block size, which is inversely related to fracture intensity. Geologically realistic Probability Density Functions (PDFs) of matrix block size, such as uniform, bimodal, linear and exponential distributions, are examined and pseudo-steady-state and transient models for inter porosity flow are assumed. The results have been physically interpreted, and, despite results obtained by other authors, it was found that the shape of pressure derivative curves for different PDFs are basically identical within some ranges of block size variability, inter porosity skin, PDFs parameters and matrix storage capacity. This tool can give an insight on the distribution of block sizes and shapes, together with other sources of information such as Logs and geological observations. (author)
Determination of the void nucleation rate from void size distributions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Brailsford, A.D.
1977-01-01
A method of estimating the void nucleation rate from one void size distribution and from observation of the maximum void radius at prior times is proposed. Implicit in the method are the assumptions that both variations in the critical radius with dose and vacancy thermal emission processes during post-nucleation quasi-steady-state growth may be neglected. (Auth.)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wang, Yuesen; Liang, Xingyu; Shu, Gequn; Wang, Xiangxiang; Sun, Xiuxiu; Liu, Changwen
2014-01-01
Highlights: • Pour point depressant (PPD) has great impact on particulate matters. • The number of nanoparticles increases sharply after PPD is added. • Ambiguous boundaries can be found when the PPD additive was added. • PPD changes the size distribution into bimodal logarithmic. • Three nanostructure parameters are changed greatly by PPD. - Abstract: Effects of lubricant oil additive on the characterization of particles from a four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine were investigated. Neat diesel and blended fuel containing oil pour point depressant (PPD) additive were chosen as the test fuels. Effects of different fuels on size distribution, morphology, and nanostructure of the diesel particles were studied. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution TEM (HRTEM) were employed to study the morphology and nanostructure parameters. Particle size distribution was measured by fast particulate spectrometer (DMS 500). According to the experimental results, distribution of the primary particles size of the two fuels conforms to Gaussian distribution, whereas the mean diameter of blended fuel is larger than that of neat diesel at 1200 rpm, which is contrarily smaller at 2400 rpm. Besides, fractal dimension (D f ) of aggregates increases close to 2 (D f = 1.991), indicating that the structure became compacter with adding PPD. As to the nanostructure parameters of the blended fuel particles, the layer fringe length decreases from 1.191 nm to 1.064 nm, while both the separation distance and tortuosity increase. The changes in the nanostructure parameters indicate that the particles are more ordered and compressed with burning pure diesel. Results of blended fuel from DMS show that more particles, particularly nucleation mode particles, were discharged. In addition, its size distribution become bimodal logarithmic at 2400 rpm. All these results can provide new information of the effects of oil PPD additive on the formation and characterization of
The effect of chitosan molecular weight on the properties of alginate ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of chitosan molecular weight on size, size distribution, release rate, mucoadhesive properties and electrostatic bonding of alginate/chitosan microparticles containing prednisolone. Methods: Three mucoadhesive alginate/chitosan microparticle formulations, ...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bentz, D.P.; Garboczi, E.J.; Haecker, C.J.; Jensen, O.M.
1999-10-01
The original size, spatial distribution, and composition of Portland cement particles have a large influence on hydration kinetics, microstructure development, and ultimate properties of cement-based materials. In this paper, the effects of cement particle size distribution on a variety of performance properties are explored via computer simulation and a few experimental studies. Properties examined include setting time, heat release, capillary porosity percolation, diffusivity, chemical shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage, internal relative humidity evolution, and interfacial transition zone microstructure. The effects of flocculation and dispersion of the cement particles in the starting microstructures on resultant properties are also briefly evaluated. The computer simulations are conducted using two cement particle size distributions that bound those commonly in use today and three different water-to-cement ratios: 0.5, 0.3, and 0.246. For lower water-to-cement ratio systems, the use of coarser cements may offer equivalent or superior performance, as well as reducing production costs for the manufacturer.